Man Sentenced to Over 1 Year for Hit and Run Damaging Norfolk Apartment Building

NORFOLK, Va. – Martin James McMahon, 67, was sentenced on Thursday to one year and five months in prison after he pleaded guilty to felony hit and run for crashing a van into a Bondale Apartments building last fall.

Around 6 p.m. on Oct. 13, Mr. McMahon was driving a white work van when he crashed into the apartment building at 7623 Victory Drive. A resident of the building who witnessed the crash saw Mr. McMahon then exit the van, say, “Oh no, this is not my first time, not again,” and say he was going to his home on nearby Bradford Avenue. A Norfolk Police officer arrested Mr. McMahon after finding him hiding in a vehicle parked outside one of the homes on his street. Mr. McMahon confessed to detectives that he was the driver of the van that crashed into the Bondale Apartments building.

Mr. McMahon pleaded guilty on Thursday to a felony hit and run causing damage to property. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. McMahon’s plea and imposed an agreed sentence of one year and five months in prison, with another year suspended on the conditions that Mr. McMahon pay restitution to the apartment complex for the damage and complete two years and five months of uniform good behavior.

“Whatever reason Mr. McMahon had for leaving the scene of the crash, he made the situation worse by leaving,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Fortunately nobody was hurt in the crash, but everyone who is involved in one should stay to make sure everyone is all right. Leaving the scene is a crime.”

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Daniel G. Engel prosecuted Mr. McMahon’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Tristan L. Wampler led the investigation.

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