VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — An arrest warrant has been issued for a man accused of driving his truck toward a group of protesters demonstrating against racism and police brutality in Virginia
after he failed to show up in court for a second time.
Virginia Beach General District Court Judge Sandra Menago issued the warrant for Emanuel “Manny” Wilder on Tuesday, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
The judge also added another failure to appear charge to the five misdemeanor counts Wilder is facing, which includes reckless driving, abusive language, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and failure to appear.
Wilder, 20, is accused of driving toward the protesters near the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach on May 31, shortly after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, news outlets reported at the time.
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 then charged in late June and released pending trial.
A warrant that was issued for his arrest after he missed a court appearance in July was withdrawn when he arrived an hour later, the newspaper reported.