Deadly drivers: Tracking Herbert James Jr.

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: March 1, 2008

Jan. 20, 2002: Convicted in Bedford County of driving without a license, fined $30.

Oct. 8, 2002: Convicted of several charges in Lynchburg: driving with an open alcohol container, drunk in public, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana. Fined a total of $125, sentenced to 10 days in jail for resisting arrest, license suspended for six months for possession of marijuana.

Sept. 4, 2003: Convicted of reckless driving in Bedford County after being indicted for a felony charge of eluding police and drunk driving. The felony charge was dropped and the drunk driving charge was amended to reckless driving.

Jan. 14, 2004: Convicted in Lynchburg of improper driving, driving suspended and marijuana possession. Fined a total of $250, sentenced to 10 days in jail, license suspended but length not included in court record.

June 30, 2004: Convicted in Bedford County of DUI and driving on a suspended license. Fined a total of $450, sentenced to 10 days in jail. License suspended for 12 months on the DUI charge and 90 days for driving suspended.

Jan. 19, 2005: Convicted in Lynchburg of DUI, driving suspended and marijuana possession; is not prosecuted under provisions in the law for a second DUI conviction in five years. Fined a total of $350, sentenced to 10 days in jail and license suspended for 12 months for DUI, 10 days jail for marijuana possession. Second DUI provisions would have called for a mandatory fine of $500, mandatory 20 days in jail and license suspension of up to three years.

Feb. 3, 2005: Convicted in Lynchburg of hit-and-run as a passenger. Sentenced to 10 days, all suspended.

July 20, 2005: Convicted in Lynchburg of driving suspended. Sentenced to 10 days in jail. Court records show his license was suspended further, but do not specify the length of the suspension.

Jan. 8, 2006: Convicted in Amherst County of driving on a revoked license. Sentenced to 10 days in jail. No further revocation is specified in court records.

Oct. 29, 2007: Convicted in Lynchburg on two charges of driving on a suspended or revoked license, for a total of seven convictions. Fined $100, sentenced to 10 days in jail. His license was suspended for 90 days.

Nov. 26, 2007: Charged in Lynchburg with failing to report for his Oct. 29 sentence. Charge is dismissed on Jan. 7 after James crashes into the Johnson family's car on Dec. 29, killing himself and Ashley and Tony Johnson, of Evington. Police report James was driving at a high rate of speed and that his blood-alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit.