Judge rules Woodson no ‘monster’

Of all of the labels that might belong to Slade Allen Woodson, one of the two Interstate 64 shooters, “monster” is not one of them, a judge has decided.
Before pronouncing a 15-year active prison sentence for Woodson on Tuesday, Albemarle County Circuit Judge Cheryl Higgins ruled that word did not apply to Woodson.

Two portraits of Woodson were presented during the hours-long sentencing hearing in Albemarle Circuit Court. Woodson’s family, former employers and acquaintances described him as a hardworking person who was willing to help others. But a doctor testified of another side to him, saying Woodson had a high tolerance for alcohol, consumed it without the knowledge of his family and friends and did dangerous things while drunk.
Alcohol was involved in the shootings in Albemarle County, along Interstate 64 and in Waynesboro on the night of March 26 and 27, 2008. Police have said Woodson and then-16-year-old Brandon Dawson took turns shooting at nature, utility equipment, houses and moving vehicles along the interstate. The shootings resulted in two injuries, shut down I-64 for hours and closed Albemarle schools for a day because of safety concerns.

Denise Lunsford, Albemarle commonwealth’s attorney, said in court said that the county was “a community held hostage.”
“[Woodson] is not the D.C. sniper, thank God, but police didn’t know he wasn’t a D.C. sniper copycat,” Lunsford said in court Tuesday.
Dr. Jeffrey Aaron, a clinical psychologist who evaluated the then-19-year-old Woodson last year, testified Tuesday that Woodson had wanted to disable cars and wasn’t thinking about the people inside. Lunsford said in court that the statement made Woodson sound like he was 9, not 19.
Defense attorney Jessica Smith said in court that her client wasn’t out to kill.
“I think it would be somewhat easier to think Slade Woodson was a villain, a killer,” Smith said in court. “What makes a difference … is he is not that person. He didn’t set out to murder people.”
Aaron said in court that Woodson told him that he felt remorse about the shootings. Before being sentenced, Woodson apologized in court for his actions.

“There is no excuse or justification for what I did,” Woodson said in court. “ … I would never intend to harm anyone.”
Aaron said in court that he thinks Woodson meets five of seven criteria that indicate alcohol dependence, which include a high tolerance for alcohol. Woodson said he often drank 12 to 18 beers at a time, but had consumed as many as 40 beers the night of the rampage.
Aaron said in court that he thinks Woodson’s prognosis is excellent because he is motivated to change, although part of that motivation is because he is in trouble.

Woodson, now 20, hasn’t had access to alcohol since he was incarcerated after the shootings, although Aaron testified that a long period of forced sobriety might not be enough to make Woodson stop drinking. Woodson served six months in jail after being convicted of destruction of property in 2007, Aaron said in court, but he broke his own vow to stop drinking once released.
Aaron said in court that he thinks Woodson will continue to be a good, hardworking person while sober, although he may not try as hard as he has been to please everyone.

Despite all that has happened, Woodson’s mother, Lydia, said Tuesday that she is more proud of him than ever, in part because of the opportunities Woodson has taken in jail. While incarcerated, Woodson has earned a GED and high school diploma and attended a substance-abuse program and Bible study.
“He took a bad situation and took it as an opportunity to deal with whatever issues he has in his life and make the best of it,” she testified.