Man pleads guilty to shooting a rifle at two Franklin County deputies

Roger Earl Davis, 68, of Redwood, faces the possibility of up to 30 years in prison.

Roger Earl Davis

Neil Harvey | 981-3376

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A 68-year-old Redwood man faces the possibility of up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to shooting a rifle at two Franklin County deputies, among other offenses.

Roger Earl Davis pleaded guilty in Circuit Court to two counts of attempted malicious wounding, possession of a firearm as a felon, felony destruction of property, reckless handling of a firearm and misdemeanor property damage.

Attempted malicious wounding carries a maximum penalty of 10 years per count. Felonious possession of a gun and property destruction both carry five-year peak sentences.

Davis was initially charged with attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer.

He was arrested March 31 after deputies were called to his home near the intersection of Webster Road and Meadow Farm Lane in the Redwood area, investigators have said. Deputies spotted Davis walking away from a neighbor's burning tractor, carrying a gas can in one hand and a scoped .22-caliber rifle in the other. They said when they approached Davis, he leveled his weapon and fired.

A deputy who testified at Davis' preliminary hearing on May 16 said the gun "appeared to be pointed in our direction" but no one was injured. He said Davis eventually dropped the rifle and complied with the deputies' commands.

During his summary of evidence, Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Tim Allen told Judge William Alexander that Davis' friends and relatives "would tell you when Mr. Davis is not drinking, he's a pretty nice fellow. But when he is drinking, he gets out of control."

The tractor that was burned was estimated at being worth about $12,000, Allen said.

Davis is being held without bond at the Western Virginia Regional Jail.

He will be sentenced Oct. 15.

Monday, August 12, 2013