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DISCLAIMER: Please note that every case is different and these verdicts and settlements, while accurate, do not represent what we may obtain for you in your case.

Henrico Man Cleared of Malicious Wounding & Firearms Charges

A 22 year old Richmond construction worker, Danny Lago, was acquitted of all six charges against him by a Henrico County, Virginia jury on August 5th. The charges arose from a 2-minute high-speed chase on February 18th that involved Lago firing a shot at a drug dealer's car to render it inoperable, and then ramming it when it came to a stop at a busy intersection. He did all of this to prevent his friend from buying heroin. No plea agreement was offered by the Commonwealth, even as the jury were deliberating.

Lago was charged with two counts each of firing into an occupied vehicle and the attempted malicious wounding of the two previously-convicted drug dealers, as well as leaving the scene of an accident, and displaying a firearm in the commission of a felony. If convicted, he faced almost 70 years in prison, and a mandatory minimum of 8 years to serve on the gun charges alone.

Ironically, though the two drug dealers --- both of whom were on supervised probation for previous distribution convictions --- admitted to police they were on their way to consummate a drug sale when Lago intervened, no charges were brought against them related to their attempt to possess and distribute heroin. Had either of them been charged and convicted of the attempt to possess with the intent to distribute, both would have been taken off the streets for at least another 5 years if their suspended sentences were revoked, plus an additional minimum 5 years on that conviction.

Mr. Stelly regularly appears in the courts of the City of Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Goochland County, and Hanover County.

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