VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach man who was five-times the legal drinking limit when he crashed into a book store and pinned two shoppers, including a pregnant woman, inside in 2022 was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney Office announced Tuesday.
Joseph Grillo's sentence "greatly exceeds the high end of the Virginia State Sentencing Guidelines which recommended a sentence no greater than two (2) years and one (1) month," according to prosecutors.
“This is the type of behavior that should keep the citizens of Virginia Beach up at night," Judge Steven Frucci said before announcing the 43-year-old's sentence.
In late July of 2023, Grillo pleaded guilty to DUI maiming – permanent injury, DUI – maiming – serious injury and DUI in the Dec. 30, 2022 crash at the in Providence Square Shopping Center.
Grillo was speeding when he drove through the front entrance of Smith Discount Books, crashing through shelves of books and a vending machine, injuring two customers, identified as S.F. and M.C., according to prosecutors.
S.F., who was 25 weeks pregnant at the time of the crash, was sitting down when Grillo plowed through the store, pinning her against a bookshelf and vending machine. The crash caused lacerations on her back and a hurt hip. Officials noted she later delivered a "healthy baby."
The crash left M.C. pinned against a table and bookshelf, fracturing her tibia. She underwent surgery where a metal rod was placed in her leg, leaving her wheelchair bound for many months.
While talking with Grillo at a hospital, a Virginia Beach police officer reported he strongly smelt of alcohol, had slurred speech and watery, glassy eyes. Grillo allegedly told the officer he had a drinking "problem," saying he had taken suboxone and started drinking "strong bourbon, 40-proof" nearly six hours before the crash.
"Grillo told the officer that he didn’t have a lot to drink because a lot to him is different than other people; a lot to him is a gallon of liquor per day. His blood alcohol content on the night of the crash was .402, which is five times the legal limit," the Commonwealth's Attorney Office wrote in a release.
The 43-year-old was previously convicted of two-counts of public intoxication and reckless driving.
