Repossession Service News |
Woman faces charges in repo
A Caroline woman was charged with malicious wounding in an attempt to take back a van that had been repossessed.
A Caroline County woman lost her van, her temper and her freedom all in one day, police said.
Deputy Robin Kocher of the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office said a man was injured at a Spotsylvania auto dealership Saturday in a failed attempt by a woman to regain a van that had been repossessed earlier in the day.
Larkie Woolfolk Smith, 42, of Ladysmith, was charged with malicious wounding and placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.
The employee who was struck was treated at Mary Washington Hospital for an injury to his knee, Kocher said.
The employee, William King, said yesterday that he suffered torn ligaments but should be back to work in about a week.
“It’s pretty scary when you think about what could have happened,” Kocher said.
A woman showed up at Connection Auto Sales, 6409 Jefferson Davis Highway, about 4:30 p.m. to try to get back a van that King had helped repossess earlier in the day, Kocher said.
A business representative told her she had to come up with the money that day in order to get the van back. The woman said she didn’t have the money, but she did have a key to the van.
King was then ordered to disconnect the battery so Smith couldn’t take the van, Kocher said.
The woman got into the van and “jammed” on the gas pedal and drove off before the battery was disconnected, striking King in the process, police said.
King said he had the hood up while working on the battery and did not see or hear anyone get into the van.
He said he moved toward the side of the van after it started up and began moving. Otherwise, he said he might have been run over.
“I ended up in the gravel next to another car on the lot,” King said. “I guess that’s better than being underneath that van.”
Police said Smith drove onto U.S. 1, then turned around and returned to the business, where
Deputy Alan Lucas arrested her a short time later.
King said a man who came to the dealership with Smith yelled for her to come back. He said she told him her insurance company would take care of his injuries.
King said it was the second time he had to repossess that van. He said the $500 repossession fee plus the overdue payments were paid to get it back the first time.