The Williamsburg-James City County Courthouse
A 42-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to steal a car left outside of the Grove 7-Eleven with four children inside in September.
Craig Thomas Smith’s attorney, Leigh Major, requested at a March hearing in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court a mental evaluation for her client, however that request was dropped at Thursday’s hearing before the guilty pleas were entered.
A husband and wife drove their children to the 7-Eleven at about 10:30 p.m. Sept. 11, leaving the kids in the car with the keys in the ignition while they went into the store. Smith was inside by the Slurpee machine, and while the couple was at the cash register, he went outside to their vehicle, said Williamsburg-James City County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Maureen Kufro at Thursday’s hearing.
Kufro said a 13-year-old girl in the car watched Smith approach the car and reach through a window to unlock a door. She yelled at her 10-year-old brother to keep the door shut. Smith grabbed the boy’s arm, and the girl reached into the front seat to grab the keys, causing him to grab her arm. Smith told the kids he had permission to take the vehicle, James City County Police Department Deputy Chief Stephen Rubino told WYDaily shortly after Smith’s arrest.
The boy ran into the store to tell his parents what happened. The 13-year-old girl tried to do the same thing, but Smith slammed her body into the car and pinned her, Rubino said. A relative of the family who lives in the area was outside the store when the attempted theft occurred, so he yelled at Smith who then walked away.
The children were not hurt during the attempted theft.
Police found Smith a few blocks away from the 7-Eleven. Kufro said he made “strange statements” to officers, who later learned from his mother that he has mental health issues and a “severe prescription drug addiction” stemming from drugs he was prescribed after a car accident that occurred when he was in his 20s.
Smith pleaded guilty to felony attempted grand larceny and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery as part of a plea agreement with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. A charge of attempted carjacking was dropped as part of the agreement.
He will be sentenced at 9 a.m. Nov. 12. He faces up to 12 years in prison and a $7,500 fine.
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