Norfolk man gets one year to serve on felony maiming charge

By Linda Cicoira

A 36-year-old Norfolk man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Northampton Circuit Court to two counts of felony maiming while driving intoxicated, and a first offense of misdemeanor DUI that occurred in May 2023.

In a proffer to the court, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Vincent deLalla said Ryan Douglas Halterman was a passenger in a vehicle when he grabbed the steering wheel, jerking it to the left, and caused a two-car head-on collision that injured three people.

Another charge of maiming was not prosecuted in a plea agreement that called for him to serve a year of active time in prison. The maximum sentence for the crimes was 18 years. The defense lawyer said his client has already served 10 months of the term.

Halterman received five years with all suspended for one count of maiming and five years with four years suspended for the second maiming charge. He was fined $1,000 for DUI. Half of that will be suspended when he completes the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, known as VASAP. In addition, Halterman will be on 10 years of good behavior and five years of supervised probation. His driver’s license was also revoked.

One of the injured victims was also a passenger in the same vehicle as the defendant. The crash occurred on Lankford Highway, just north of Brickhouse Drive.