VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for a 20-year-old man accused of driving his pickup truck toward a group of protesters demonstrating against racial injustice in Virginia.
A judge issued the warrant for Emanuel “Manny” Wilder after he failed to appear in Virginia Beach General District Court on charges of reckless driving, abusive language, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct in connection with the May 31 incident, according to Virginia Beach General District Court Clerk Dave O’Dell.
A local Black Lives Matter chapter, which organized the march, posted videos of the incident on social media and called for police to arrest the driver, news outlets said. Wilder was charged June 25 and released pending trial.
Wilder is accused of revving his engine and driving toward a group of protesters rallying against racial injustice near the Oceanfront shortly after the death of George Floyd, news outlets reported at the time. Floyd was an African American man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him down and pressed a knee against his neck. The officer was fired and faces charges including second-degree murder.
It was not immediately clear whether Wilder had an attorney who could comment for him.
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