Man pleads guilty to malicious wounding

By Amanda Stewart

Published: March 13, 2008

A Woodbridge man who police said stabbed a woman who was giving him a ride in the Marumsco Plaza area pleaded guilty in Prince William Circuit Court on Thursday to malicious wounding.

Michael Lewis Nelson, 38, was also charged with carjacking and abduction for the Oct. 23 incident, but prosecutors dropped those charges Thursday.

Around 1:40 p.m. on Oct. 23, Nelson approached a woman outside of Giant Food at the Marumsco Plaza shopping center in the 13900 block of Jefferson Davis Highway and offered to help carry her groceries to her car, Prince William County Police Detective Todd Troutner testified in court Thursday.

Once they got to the woman’s car, Nelson asked for a ride and the woman agreed, Troutner said.

Inside the car, Nelson displayed a knife and asked for $1,000, Troutner said.

When the woman refused, Nelson stabbed her in the right arm, police said.

The woman was able to get out of the car and Nelson drove out of the parking lot, Troutner said.

Police arrested Nelson two days later.

Nelson’s defense attorney said that he was under the influence of heroin at the time.

Nelson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 20.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.