Virginia Man Receives 2 Life Sentences for Shooting Mother and Son in Road Rage Incident By Escher Walcott

A Virginia man who shot and wounded a mother and son in a road rage incident has been handed two life sentences in prison.

In a news release shared on Monday, Oct. 20, the James City County Police (JCCP) said Joseph Adams, 45, was sentenced by the Williamsburg-James City Circuit Court to two consecutive life terms plus 19 years in prison for his role in a road rage shooting in October 2024. The Williamsburg-James City Circuit Court confirmed Adams’ sentence in an email to PEOPLE stating he had received life for two charges of malicious assault.

Adams was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five other charges in connection with the October 2024 shooting, local media outlet WAVY reported. These included four firearms-related charges and malicious shooting/throwing at a train or car.

At around 3 p.m. local time on Oct. 5, 2024, authorities responded to reports of two individuals with gunshot wounds they were shot inside their vehicle while driving at the intersection of Centerville Road and Monticello Avenue, police said in a news release at the time. The suspect was later identified as Adams of Surry County.

“The shooting occurred as a vehicle carrying three occupants turned from Centerville Road onto Monticello Avenue while the suspect, driving a red Toyota Solara, was traveling on Centerville Road toward John Tyler Highway,” police said. 

According to the release, Adams “fired multiple shots from his vehicle into the victims’ vehicle before fleeing the scene.” The victims’ vehicle “came to a stop” at the Monticello Avenue/Greensprings Plantation Drive intersection, where they were treated by first responders.

Adams had fled in his vehicle onto the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, which was heading to Surry County. The ferry was held at the dock once it arrived in Surry and Adams was taken into custody, the JCCP stated in the release.

One victim was identified as Molly Haskin. She suffered life-threatening injuries after being shot in the face. Her teenage son was also shot three times in both his arms, per WAVY. 

The third victim in the vehicle was unharmed in the shooting.

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Adams was initially charged with one count of driving under the influence.

He was additionally charged with 23 other offenses, which included two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of brandishing a firearm, five counts of reckless handling of a firearm and five counts of shooting from a vehicle, per the police release.

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“I apologize to the victims,” Adams said in the James City County courtroom on Monday. His attorney, Rob Jones, had requested a light sentencing for Adams as he stated that he was a “functioning alcoholic with mental illness and substance abuse issues,” per WAVY.

While speaking in court, victim Haskin recalled how she repeatedly told herself, “I will not die” as she was airlifted to a hospital in Richmond, per the outlet. Her son also took to the stand and recalled the pain he felt after being hit in both of his arms by three bullets, as well as seeing his mother being shot in the face.

Adams remains behind bars at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail, per police.