NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Most charges for a man accused of assaulting Newport News police officers in June were withdrawn in court Thursday.
Lawrence Fenner was previously charged with four counts of assault on law enforcement, possession of a firearm by a violent convicted felon, obstruction of justice with threats and force, having a concealed weapon and fraudulent altering or forgery of license plates.
Three of the assault charges, the firearm possession and altering/forgery charges were nolle prossed, meaning they were withdrawn but could be returned at a later date.
Fenner pled no contest to the remaining assault charge, which was downgraded to a misdemeanor, and the concealed weapon and obstruction charges. His next court date is Nov. 13, 2024.
The situation leading to Fenner's arrest started when officers pulled him over for allegedly speeding and his car having a registration violation.
Police Chief Steve Drew said as officers were getting out of their cars to talk to him, Fenner leaned over to the right, dipping entirely out of their view, which caused some concerns.
Once the officers started talking with Fenner, they asked him to step outside of the vehicle. They allegedly spoke for a few minutes, before he said he wouldn't listen to them.
Then, out of concerns about safety, the officers tried to take Fenner out of the vehicle, and he physically resisted them, Drew said.
When the officers eventually got Fenner out of the vehicle, he allegedly began to assault them. One of the officers used a Taser to stop Fenner. He was then taken into custody.
The officers had minor injuries, the Newport News Police Department said. Medics assessed Fenner, who was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation.
During the investigation of what happened, officers found a gun inside the vehicle.
