The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
A Beach businessman was convicted Monday of assaulting a police officer and driving under the influence.
Robert Paul Jones, 44, was stopped Nov. 7 because he was weaving heavily on Shore Drive, according to court documents.
After police stopped Jones, he choked Officer B.A. Martin. Martin and Officer P.W. Ryan testified during a bench trial Monday on the assault charge.
Jones' defense attorney, John D. Hooker Jr., argued that his client said if he came in contact with the officer's throat, it was accidental.
Prosecutor Anetra L. Robinson said Jones first testified that the act was unintentional, then claimed he didn't remember choking the officer.
"Officer Martin was choked by the defendant," Robinson said. "The defendant doesn't want to admit it."
Circuit Judge Frederick Lowe said that while there were some discrepancies in the officers' testimony, there wasn't much question that the grabbing occurred, and he found Jones guilty of the felony charge.
Jones, son of Vice Mayor Louis Jones, also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence for the second time within 10 years.
Lowe pointed out that Jones' blood-alcohol content of 0.23 indicated that Jones was "real drunk" at the time of the incident. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 14.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 222-5119, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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