Woodson pleads guilty in Waynesboro shootings

Slade Allen Woodson, charged in the Interstate 64 shootings, pleaded guilty in Waynesboro Circuit Court on Monday to six felony counts in connection with shots fired in Waynesboro during the overnight shooting spree.

“I am truly sorry for not preventing this from happening, and I will take full responsibility for my actions,” Woodson said as part of a brief statement he gave to the court.

Woodson, 19, of Afton, pleaded guilty to two counts of shooting into an occupied residence, three counts of maliciously shooting from a vehicle and one count of destruction of property for shots fired at the DuPont Community Credit Union.

A pre-sentencing report is expected to be issued in 90 to 120 days.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David Ledbetter told the court that around 12:30 a.m. March 27 - about 20 minutes after police received reports of shots fired on Interstate 64 - Woodson and another teen went into the Waynesboro Wal-Mart and bought ammunition for a .22 Magnum rifle in the sporting goods department.

From there, Ledbetter said, Woodson headed to the DuPont Community Credit Union on Lucy Lane, where he fired three shots - one hitting the bank’s sign, one going through a window and lodging in the building, and another that went into a van parked outside the bank.

Ledbetter said Woodson, the driver of the vehicle, left in the direction of North Commerce Avenue, and, as the other teen grabbed the wheel, Woodson fired shots into a house there. Ledbetter said Woodson fired two rounds into the residence before leaving toward Interstate 64, which by that time had been closed off by the Virginia State Police.

Woodson has been remanded to the custody of the Waynesboro Sheriff’s Department.

In addition to the Waynesboro charges, Woodson also faces a September trial in Albemarle County in connection with the interstate shootings there. Two drivers suffered minor injuries as a result of the shots fired.

Brandon Dawson, 16, already has pleaded guilty in connection with the Albemarle incidents. He was sentenced to an intensive, 180-day juvenile program.