Teen’s guilty plea reduces charge in parkway case

By Amanda Stewart

Published: August 14, 2008

One of several Manassas teens charged with throwing objects onto Prince William Parkway to cause car accidents pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of destruction of property Thursday.

Eric Daniel Regis, 18, of 8576 Adamson St. in Manassas, pleaded guilty in Prince William Circuit Court to the charge, which was reduced from a felony. Prosecutors dropped a second destruction of property charge against Regis.

He was given a suspended jail sentence and no further time in jail.

In July, Regis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of throwing material on a public highway and was sentenced to serve six days in jail, with 84 days suspended.

He was also ordered to pay more than $6,000 in restitution to two people whose cars were damaged in the incident and to complete 100 hours of community service.

The charges stem from what police said was a prank that resulted in thousands of dollars in damage to several cars and at least one car accident involving minor injuries.

Objects, including tree branches, boulders, children's toys and lawn chairs, were placed on Prince William Parkway between Lucasville and Nokesville roads beginning late last year, police said.

Police said that teens were placing the objects there to cause cars to swerve and crash, police said in March.

Police reported that on March 18, two cars crashed because a tree limb, a tire and a boulder were on the road. Two people were injured.

Three days later police again found objects on the roadway. They searched the area and arrested Regis, Dusty J. Harrelson and Michael David Fuller, all 18.

Fuller pleaded guilty in May to five misdemeanor charges of destruction of property and four misdemeanor charges of throwing material on a public highway.

He was sentenced to serve a total of four months in jail and 100 hours of community service and to pay more than $5,000 in restitution.

Harrelson is charged with two counts of felony destruction of property and is scheduled to appear in Circuit Court on those charges in October.

Four 17-year-olds and two 16-year-olds, who were not identified because they are minors, were also charged with a total of 43 misdemeanors and felonies in connection with the incidents. They will have hearings in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

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