Preliminary hearing set for driver
, Staff Writer
11-16-2009
A Hiwassee man facing two felony charges in connection with an August wreck is set to appear in court Tuesday.
According to court records, Elmer Lee Alderman Jr., 32, is to be in Pulaski County General District Court Tuesday at 10 a.m. for a preliminary hearing and trial on four charges stemming from an August single-vehicle accident on Farris Mines Road.
In addition to misdemeanor charges of second offense intoxicated driving and violating drivers license restrictions, Alderman also is charged with felony maiming as a result of intoxicated driving and felony failure to stop at the scene of an accident.
Alderman will be tried on the misdemeanor charges Tuesday. However, a hearing will be held on the felony charges to determine whether enough evidence exists to advance the charges to Circuit Court for trial. Even if the felony charges are dismissed by the lower court, prosecutors still could seek to have them reinstated through a direct indictment from a grand jury.
According to Virginia State Police, Alderman was driving Aug. 14 when his 1998 Buick Riviera ran off the right side of the road and struck a utility pole. Two female passengers who were standing up with their upper bodies hanging outside the car’s sunroof were ejected.
State Police First Sgt. Mike Honaker said Leona K. Moles, 34, of Farris Mines Road and Crystal Dawn Wilson, 28, of Buck Island Lane in Hiwassee were seriously injured in the wreck.
He noted that Moles she struck the utility pole as she was ejected and then ended up pinned underneath the vehicle. Wilson came to rest off the right side of the road. Both women were airlifted to a Roanoke hospital, with Moles suffering the most serious injuries.
Wilson was treated and released, but Moles was hospitalized.
Other passengers in the vehicle included Alderman’s brother Bobby Lewis Alderman and Casey Underwood. Neither the Aldermans nor Underwood were injured.
According to Honaker, Elmer Alderman and all of the passengers “had been drinking” prior to the 9:30 p.m. wreck four-tenths of a mile west of Webb Road.
Honaker said Elmer Alderman was present when Trooper D. M. Reece arrived at the wreck, but Alderman subsequently left the scene. Alderman was arrested when Reece located him at Roanoke Memorial, where the injured passengers had been taken.
The maiming charge is a Class 6 felony carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly leaving the scene of the wreck (a Class 5 felony).
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