David Southwick (Photo: Cortland Police Department)
CORTLAND, N.Y. — A Cortland man pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony reckless endangerment in connection with a road rage incident that took place in the parking lot of the Cortland County Courthouse in November.
David J. Southwick, who has been held on $250,000 bail at the Cortland County Jail since the event, appeared before Judge William Ames in Cortland County Court Tuesday afternoon. He was represented by attorney Jesse Ryder, of Syracuse. District Attorney Mark Suben appeared for the prosecution.
On Nov. 30, Southwick left a family court hearing and got into his Ford pickup truck and attempted to run over his wife, hitting 14 vehicles in the process, according to police. He was later charged with more than a dozen felony counts, including attempted vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. He was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child because a 3-year-old child was in one of the vehicles.
"He absolutely lost control of himself," Suben said.
Southwick pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree reckless endangerment, a class D felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison, though prosecutors agreed to release Southwick from jail on a three-year conditional discharge.
As part of the plea deal, Southwick has agreed to provide restitution to the owners of the damaged vehicles. All of the victims have already been accounted for, with the exception of one individual, Suben said. Southwick was also ordered to pay at least $10,000 toward therapy costs for his wife.
Southwick will remain in Cortland County Jail until sentencing, which is scheduled for Sep. 20.
