Norfolk Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Drunk Driving, Crashing Into Restaurants After Evading Police in 2022
NORFOLK, Va. – Today, 39-year-old Jamar Dante Bolding was sentenced in Norfolk Circuit Court to an active two years in prison after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated, eluding police, and a hit and run resulting in damage to other vehicles and two businesses.
On April 24, 2022, Norfolk Police were called to a restaurant on the 3300 block of North Military Highway for a disturbance caused by a drunk Mr. Bolding. When officers arrived at the restaurant parking lot, Mr. Bolding was seated alone in the driver’s seat of his car with the gear in reverse. Mr. Bolden initially provided his documentation to an officer when asked and made conversation, however he did not put his car in park as instructed. Officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol, that Mr. Bolding’s speech was slurred, and that he had glassy and bloodshot eyes. After officers asked Mr. Bolding to put the car in park for a second and third time, Mr. Bolding accelerated at a high rate of speed in reverse, striking other vehicles and almost hitting an officer and bystanders outside the restaurant.
Mr. Bolding then drove out of the parking lot and north on Military Highway for about a mile before he crashed into the Subway and China One restaurants in the shopping center at 1595 International Boulevard. Officers apprehended Mr. Bolding a short distance from the crashed vehicle, and he was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for treatment. A subsequent toxicology report revealed Mr. Bolding had a blood alcohol content of .17.
On Thursday, Mr. Bolding pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, eluding police, and hit and run, and Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted his plea. Pursuant to Mr. Bolding’s plea agreement, Judge Lindsey sentenced him to two active years in prison, with an additional five years suspended on the conditions that Mr. Bolding complete three years of uniform good behavior, one year of supervised probation, one year of restrictions on his license, and an alcohol safety program.
“Driving while intoxicated is dangerous. Running from the police is dangerous. Mr. Bolding did both at once. We are lucky that Mr. Bolding hurt only himself in this dangerous incident,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Do not drink and drive, and pull over when the police turn on their lights before you do something that you regret.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Melinda F. Seemar prosecuted Mr. Bolding’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
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