Man Sentenced to 8 Years for 2023 Granby Street Road Rage Shooting

NORFOLK, Va. – Michael Donzell Taylor, 40, was sentenced on Wednesday to eight years in prison after he pleaded guilty to shooting a man through his car while driving on Granby Street one year ago.

On March 29, 2023, Mr. Taylor was driving with a passenger southbound on Granby Street in the Wards Corner area. The victim, who was not acquainted with Mr. Taylor, was driving another vehicle, passed Mr. Taylor’s vehicle, and continued down Granby Street. The victim noticed afterward that Mr. Taylor had begun adjusting his speed, weaving in and out of lanes, and traveling alongside him, and the victim deduced that he was being followed by Mr. Taylor. At a stop light near Granby High School, the victim asked Mr. Taylor, “Do I know you?” and then saw Mr. Taylor pull out a firearm, reach over his passenger, and shoot once into his car. The bullet went through the victim’s car and grazed his ankle. Mr. Taylor then fled down Granby Street, eventually stopping in the 1700 block of Church Street at the behest of his passenger. Norfolk Police located Mr. Taylor there and took him into custody.

Mr. Taylor pleaded guilty on Wednesday to maliciously shooting into a vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and malicious wounding. Judge Mary Jane Hall accepted Mr. Taylor’s plea with an agreed sentence of eight years in prison, with another 12 years suspended on the conditions that Mr. Taylor have no contact with the victim and complete two years of supervised probation and five years of uniform good behavior following his release.

“Mr. Taylor’s reckless and malicious actions wounded the victim. We are lucky he did not kill him,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “People deserve to drive our streets free of violence or the threat of violence. We will continue to prosecute shootings and road rage to protect our fellow residents.”

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Melinda F. Seemar prosecuted Mr. Taylor’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Justin Marriott led the investigation.

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