A Virginia man who shot and wounded a mother and son during a road rage incident has been sentenced to two life terms in prison.
In a news statement issued on Monday, Oct. 20, the James City County Police (JCCP) stated that Joseph Adams, 45, was sentenced by the Williamsburg-James City Circuit Court to two consecutive life terms plus 19 years in prison for his role in an October 2024 road rage shooting. In an email to PEOPLE, the Williamsburg-James City Circuit Court confirmed Adams’ life sentence for two counts of malicious assault.
Adams was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five other offenses stemming from the October 2024 shooting, according to WAVY. These included four firearm-related accusations, as well as malicious shooting or throwing at a train or car.
On October 5, 2024, around 3 p.m. local time, officials reacted to reports of two people with gunshot wounds who had been wounded inside their vehicle while driving at the intersection of Centerville Road and Monticello Avenue, according to a news release. The suspect was later identified as Adams from Surry County.
“The shooting occurred as a vehicle carrying three occupants turned from Centerville Road onto Monticello Avenue while the suspect, driving a red Toyota Solara, was traveling on Centerville Road toward John Tyler Highway,” according to police.
According to the announcement, Adams “fired multiple shots from his vehicle into the victims’ vehicle before fleeing the scene.” First responders treated the victims after their vehicle “came to a stop” near the intersection of Monticello Avenue and Greensprings Plantation Drive.
Adams had fled in his automobile onto the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, which was bound toward Surry County. When the ferry arrived in Surry, it was halted at the dock, and Adams was arrested, according to the JCCP announcement.
One of the victims was identified as Molly Haskin. She sustained life-threatening injuries after being shot in the face. Her adolescent son was also wounded three times in both arms, according to WAVY.
The third person in the vehicle was unhurt throughout the incident.
Adams was originally charged with one count of driving under the influence.
He was also charged with 23 other offenses, including two counts of aggravated malicious injuring, three counts of brandishing a handgun, five counts of negligent handling of a firearm, and five counts of firing from a vehicle, according to a police release.
“I apologize to the victims,” Adams stated in the James City County courtroom on Monday. Adams’ attorney, Rob Jones, had requested a reduced sentence for him because he claimed to be a “functioning alcoholic with mental illness and substance abuse issues,” according to WAVY.
According to the publication, when addressing in court, victim Haskin recounted continuously telling herself, “I will not die” while she was taken to a Richmond hospital. Her son also testified, recalling the pain he felt after being wounded in both arms by three bullets and watching his mother shot in the face.
According to officials, Adams remains in custody at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail.
