Emotional day in Rappahannock court

Speeder with ‘colorful’ driving record loses case

It is increasingly a sign of our times: a child’s addiction to drugs and a parent struggling in every way possible to help.

Such was the emotional case this week in Rappahannock County Circuit Court, where Judge James E. Plowman, Jr. sentenced 24-year-old Miguel Montana Lorenzo-Day of Sperryville and Charlottesville to four years in the state penitentiary for possession of a Schedule I or II drug.

However, upon hearing the testimony of several people involved in Lorenzo-Day’s treatment and recovery efforts — not the least being his mother, longtime Rappahannock resident Maureen Day — the judge suspended all but 90 days.

Before presenting a stack of letters of support from various community members for Plowman to read, Lorenzo-Day’s attorney Ryan Ruzic asked if he could recognize the people in court in support of the young man. Nearly two dozen family members and friends stood up.

May of last year.

“He reached out to me,” she began. “He said he was tired, sick, and wanted to seek help.”

She said she wept when she saw him because “at 6 feet, my son weighed 108 pounds and was as vulnerable as an infant.”

But, she continued, “Miquel has been clean nearly eight months and truly in recovery.”

She called his transformation “remarkable” and said that his current “lifestyle is built around recovery… My fervent hope is that you let him remain at Oxford House,” a residential recovery program.

Day’s sentiments were supported by testimony from John Brink, another Oxford House resident who said that Lorenzo-Day “was doing very well and has already embraced his sobriety.”

Thomas Coates, Lorenzo-Day’s recovery sponsor, testified that the 24-year-old is showing signs of recovery success seen in other addicts — “a level of willingness to accept that they can’t do it on their own” and need guidance and support.

His attorney also presented a list of community organizations where Lorenzo-Day

“The court has mechanisms to support success… particularly [in this case] extraordinary success.”

However, Plowman said he had been watching Lorenzo-Day’s expressions during the hearing and wondered if he took the proceeding seriously.

“There are times you don’t seem emotional and times you’re smiling,” Plowman said. “Maybe that’s a defense mechanism. You need to take this seriously. Because of [those showing their support] you are a lucky young man and lucky to be alive… Think about what you put your mom through. You owe her a lot.”

Plowman said that given Lorenzo-Day’s track record, “the court would be justified in sending you to prison.”

Besides the 90 days in jail, Plowman sentenced Lorenzo-Day to four years of supervised probation and suspended his driver’s license for six months. Plowman agreed to give Lorenzo-day credit for jail time already served and authorized work release if the Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office approved.

Lorenzo-Day was then remanded over to the RCSO to be incarcerated at the RSW Regional Jail in Front Royal.

This was Plowman’s first day presiding over Rappahannock County Circuit Court after being appointed to the bench two-and-a-half months ago to replace the retiring Judge Jeffrey W. Parker.

OTHER COURT ACTION

Adam G. Messier, 20, of Woodbridge was sentenced to two years in prison with all by 90 days suspended for a charge of eluding law enforcement and 12 months (all suspended) for a charge of reckless driving.

The charges stemmed from an incident last July 25 when Messier and two other motorcyclists were speeding on Route 211.

Virginia State Police Trooper S.A. Lam clocked them at 130 mph on the 55 mph road. When the trooper attempted to pull them over, Messier peeled away and drove West toward Page County. Just inside Page County, Messier turned around and headed back into Rappahannock County. For safety concerns due to the motorcycle's speed and reckless driving, Lam terminated the pursuit at this point.

After driving back into Rappahannock the reckless biker ditched his motorcycle along Route 211 and set out at a brisk pace on foot, disappearing into nearby woods. After several hours, Messier called 911 and asked to surrender.

Messier was remanded to the RCSO after sentencing.

Finally, Mohaned Abdelaziz of Burke lost his appeal after being found guilty in General District Court last October of speeding.

He was charged with driving 49 mph in a 35 mph zone. Abdelaziz told Plowman he hadn’t known he was speeding, that he came in from a side road, and didn’t see a speed limit sign. Plus, he said, he was following the speed shown on his GPS device and didn’t realize he didn’t have an internet connection.

Plowman wasn’t buying it. He requested Abdelaziz’s driving record and read out loud a history of speeding infractions from June, August, September. and November 2018. Abdelaziz called his driving record — with its minus-12 points — “very colorful.”

He was ordered to pay a $200 fine and court costs.