CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — A 28-year-old Clarksburg diesel mechanic with "virtually no" criminal history and a steady work record who took responsibility early on was granted a deferred adjudication Wednesday in a felony fleeing case.
Defense lawyer Todd La Neve and Harrison Assistant Prosecutor Gina Renzelli had worked at length on the case of Hunter Lee Shumate before reaching the plea deal.
Shumate ends up with a misdemeanor DUI of alcohol conviction from the case, for which he spent a day in jail, plus will lose his job as soon as his license is revoked. But he has the chance to finish the case with a conviction for misdemeanor fleeing instead of felony fleeing with reckless indifference.
Circuit Judge D. Andrew McMunn impressed on Shumate what a break he had received: "You could