North Carolina man found guilty of 2 felonies, more after he tried running over homeless man & his cat

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — A person accused of trying to run down a homeless man and his cat in Could 2021 in Asheville was discovered responsible of two felonies and a number of other misdemeanors Friday, July 1 by a Buncombe County jury.

Scott Everett Ford, 42, was discovered responsible of Felony Obstruction of Justice and Felony Cruelty to Animals.

“It’s an absorbed and mindless crime,” Buncombe County district legal professional Todd Williams mentioned.

The jurors additionally convicted Ford of the next misdemeanor crimes: Easy Assault, Failure to Stay on the Scene of an Accident Involving Property Harm and Reckless Driving.

Proof offered at trial confirmed that on Could 17, 2021, round 4:40 p.m., Ford drove a 2005 Ford F-150 and tried to run down the sufferer, who was standing on the aspect of the exit ramp close to Smokey Park Freeway and I-40.

“I’ve loads of folks discuss crap,” Alex McPherson, the unhoused man Ford tried to run over instructed NEWS-13 throughout an interview again in 2021.” However attempt to run over me with a truck and run over my cat, c’mon dude, that’s not cool. I imply that’s simply harmful and lethal.”

Video of the occasion was captured by a bystander witness’s cellular phone video digital camera.

Investigators with the Asheville Police Division (APD) decided that the car was owned by Basic Occasion Rental, which is owned and operated by Ford and sought search warrants authorizing searches of Ford’s enterprise, truck, and cellphone.

Ford obstructed investigators by destroying enterprise paperwork figuring out the driving force of the F-150.

Ford obstructed investigators by disposing of enterprise paperwork officers requested which may have recognized the driving force of the F-150.

At trial, Ford testified and acknowledged that he was the driving force of the truck. He additionally testified that he was in search of an unhoused individual to harass and that he supposed to throw a golf ball at an unhoused individual. Investigators had been in a position to get well a golf ball from the sufferer.

“I’m very glad we had been in a position to obtain some modicum of justice on this case,” Williams mentioned. “What I’m very gratified [about is] securing the accountability that we had been in a position to get on this case for a cat and an unhoused individual.”

Superior Courtroom Choose Alan Thornburg sentenced Ford to serve an eight-month energetic sentence, to be adopted by a suspended sentence and be positioned on supervised probation for a time period of 24 months. Choose Thornburg additional ordered Ford to haven’t any contact with the sufferer.

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