A 22-year-old Providence Forge man accused of dragging another man beneath his car for nearly 4 miles pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from that incident.
Michael Robinson asked the court for a two-day jury trial, which has been scheduled for December. The charges from a May incident, when Robinson is alleged to have been streetracing with another man when that man crashed into a tree and was ejected from his vehicle onto the roadway. Robinson is then alleged to have struck that man with his car, pinning him beneath his Honda Prelude and dragging him almost 4 miles, from the edge of James City County into New Kent County.
In a July hearing, prosecutors played a 911 call from Robinson that came after the alleged dragging, where Robinson told the dispatcher “he’s dead.” He then said he was trying to find a station to stop. Police said another motorist alerted Robinson to the presence of 30-year-old LeTroy Prince Wallace beneath his vehicle. Wallace died from his injuries three days later.
Sgt. Brian Staton of the James City County Police Department testified at the July hearing that Robinson told him Wallace had “picked a race” with him and he “took him up on it.” Wallace had two 8-year-old children in his car, when he allegedly raced Robinson through pouring rain at speeds “significantly” higher than the posted 55 mph speed limit. The children suffered minor injuries when Wallace’s vehicle hydroplaned and crashed into trees near James City County Recycling, resulting in Wallace’s ejection from the vehicle onto the roadway.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of May 18 near Anderson’s Corner in Toano. Tuesday’s plea was made in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court.
Robinson is facing a felony homicide charge — which is levied against a person if they are alleged to have killed someone accidentally while perpetrating another felony — a felony charge of causing the death of another person while engaging in a race, a felony charge of not stopping in the event of an accident involving injury or death and a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter by vehicle.
If found guilty of all four charges, Robinson could face time in prison. The felony homicide charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, while the other charges can carry penalties between one and 10 years in prison.
The two-day jury trial is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 13.
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