Woodson faces more charges

Slade A. Woodson’s first appearance in an Albemarle court was on a television screen.
Woodson, 19, appeared by video link Tuesday morning in Albemarle General District Court on charges connected to Thursday’s Interstate 64 shootings. Five more felony charges filed Monday night also were added to Woodson’s case — three counts of shooting from a vehicle to endanger people and two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford said the unnamed 16-year-old juvenile accused in the shootings also was charged with the five counts Woodson received. Lunsford said the vehicle charges are related to the I-64 shootings, while the other two charges stem from shots fired at two homes in Albemarle County. Lunsford did not reveal the homes’ addresses.
“It was the same night as the series of events,” Lunsford said of the house shootings.
It is unclear if the occupants of the homes know Woodson or the juvenile, both of whom were accused of shooting at six vehicles during a shooting spree Thursday that shut down I-64 for several hours. Two people were hurt.
Also Tuesday, Albemarle County police identified M.J. Easton as the officer who shot a man during the Friday raid in which Woodson was arrested. Easton is a six-year veteran of the Albemarle department and works as a school resource officer, Lt. Todd Hopwood said. He also is part of the tactical team, which conducted Friday’s raid.
Police have said that when authorities entered the Yonder Hill Farm residence at around 5 a.m. to make the arrest and conduct a search, Edgar W. Dawson was armed with a handgun and was subsequently shot. Dawson is still being treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
“He continues to improve” but is in a great deal of pain, said Dawson’s lawyer, John Zwerling, who is based in Alexandria.
Zwerling said his client was shot in both arms and has bullet fragments in his chest.
A nurse outside Dawson’s hospital room Tuesday afternoon said the family is not speaking with the media at this time.
The family is focused on Dawson’s recovery and has not discussed possible litigation against police, Zwerling said.
“I want to hear what the police say happened before I make any comment,” he added.
Easton remains on paid administrative leave while the Virginia State Police investigate the shooting.
Woodson, who is being held at Middle River Jail in Verona, didn’t receive bond Tuesday but requested a court-appointed attorney. Woodson wore a bright orange shirt during his video appearance, sitting still at a folding table before his hearing began.
During the hearing, the teenager told Judge Paul M. Peatross Jr. he didn’t have enough money to hire his own counsel.
“Not very much, sir,” said Woodson, answering Peatross’ question about his available funds. “Maybe $100 to $200.”
Woodson said he owns three vehicles, including an “old Dodge, an Isuzu Rodeo and a car,” each worth less than $1,500.
If he is convicted of all of his Albemarle County charges, Woodson faces up to 150 years in prison. Woodson also faces two charges in Waynesboro in connection with shots fired at a car and at the DuPont Community Credit Union the same day as the interstate shootings. A security camera showed two people in a 1974 AMC Gremlin when the shots were fired.
Lunsford said Woodson may be able to request bond in Albemarle before May 1, when he has a scheduled preliminary hearing. Public defender Jim Hingeley said Tuesday that Woodson hasn’t been assigned a specific attorney yet.

The Waynesboro News Virginian contributed to this story.