Beasley Stole Car and Crashed After Leaving a Party

LUNENBURG COURT – Ryiqual T. Beasley, 20, of Blackstone, was convicted in Lunenburg Circuit Court of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Hit and Run (Property Damage Over $1,000), both felonies. He told police he didn’t want to walk home after leaving a party, so he stole a nearby vehicle. However, he didn’t make it far before he crashed it, causing significant damage to the car.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney J. Baxter Stegall presented the evidence to Judge William Watson, Jr. upon Beasley’s guilty plea.

On April 30, 2019, a homeowner called police to report that he heard a car door slam and engine start in his front yard. He ran outside to see his wife’s car being driven away down Plank Road outside of Kenbridge. The homeowner then took his own car out to look for his wife’s, which he found crashed in a ditch in a curve in the 6000 block of nearby New Grove Road. He then contacted State Police.

Trooper J.R. Davis responded to the crash scene. He learned from witnesses of a nearby house party that Beasley had attended earlier in the evening. He was seen drinking at the party, and left on foot, rapping as he walked. Neighbors near where the car was stolen said they had heard a man walking down the road, rapping, shortly before the time of the crash. Beasley later showed back up at the party with a bloodied nose and lip. He told people he had been in a fight.

Trooper Davis continued his investigation, attempting to locate Beasley. He finally was able to get in contact with him almost two weeks later. Trooper Davis interviewed Beasley, who admitted that he had taken the car. When asked why, he told Trooper Davis that he didn’t want to walk. He stated he was intoxicated, but that problems with his vision at night were the cause of the crash. Trooper Davis was unable to charge Beasley with a misdemeanor DUI because of the time elapsed since the crash, but was able to charge him with a felony of Unauthorized Use and a felony of Hit and Run (Property Damage Over $1,000).

Beasley was convicted of both and sentenced to three years in prison with three years on each with all suspended, except eight months to serve, which was the midpoint of the sentencing guidelines.

Beasley’s criminal history includes misdemeanor convictions for Petit Larceny, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (two counts), Entering a Motor Vehicle to Commit a Crime, Assault, and failure to appear (two counts) all in Nottoway Courts. It further includes a misdemeanor Trespass in Prince Edward.

His suspended sentence will be subject to conditions of good behavior for six years, supervised probation for one year, restitution in the amount of $6,912.86, no contact with the victims and their immediate family, mandatory driver’s license suspension, search and seizure waiver for five years, change of address notification for five years, no proximity to firearms, and he may not request home electronic monitoring.