From Law & Crime · · 2m
Woman who randomly mowed down couple on Walmart run while heading back to car learns fate
North Carolina woman sentenced to 20-28 years for Walmart parking lot attack.
In brief
North Carolina woman sentenced to 20-28 years for Walmart parking lot attack. Vilma Elizabeth Huerta, 22, faces 20-28 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of felonious assault with deadly weapons. Originally reported by Law & Crime.
Vilma Elizabeth Huerta charged
Vilma Elizabeth Huerta, 22, pleaded guilty to three counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury.
“Vilma Elizabeth Huerta, 22, pleaded guilty to three counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury”
Court rejected plea deal
Surry County court records show the judge overseeing the case rejected a plea deal earlier this year.
“Surry County court records show the judge overseeing the case rejected a plea deal earlier this year”
Sentence set
Huerta faces a minimum of 20 years and four months and a maximum of 28 years and six months in prison.
“Huerta faces a minimum of 20 years and four months and a maximum of 28 years and six months in prison”
Plea agreement terms
The plea agreement sets a range of 73 months to 100 months for assault with injury counts and 25 to 42 months for the lesser assault count.
“The plea agreement sets a range of 73 months to 100 months for assault with injury counts and 25 to 42 months for the lesser assault count”
Attack timeline
The incident occurred on December 3, 2023, at Walmart Supercenter on Rockford Street in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
“The incident occurred on Dec. 3, 2023, at the Walmart Supercenter on Rockford Street in Mount Airy, a small town located roughly 40 miles northwest of Winston-Salem”
Attack footage
In footage obtained by the TV station, the vehicle drove through Walmart parking lot before hitting a pedestrian couple from Virginia.
“In footage obtained by the TV station, the vehicle is seen driving through the Walmart parking lot before hitting a pedestrian couple visiting the Tar Heel State from Virginia”
Victim account
The wife of the couple said she and her husband were almost back to their car when they were hit by the driver who looked directly at them and accelerated.
“The wife of the couple from Virginia spoke with WGHP and said she and her husband were almost back to their car when they were hit. The woman went on to say the driver looked directly at the pair and accelerated to ensure she hit them”
Attack aftermath
After hitting four people, the driver left the scene and was later arrested for the incident.
“After hitting four people, the driver left the scene. Officers caught up with the defendant later that same day and said she was not impaired”
Charges dropped
Prosecutors dropped attempted murder charges but added felony hit-and-run charges which were later dismissed under the plea agreement.
“Huerta was originally arrested on four counts of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. As a result of her plea deal, the state dropped the attempted murder charges. Prosecutors later added felony hit-and-run charges, but those charges were dismissed under the plea agreement as well”
Public reaction
One Walmart shopper said the incident made people reconsider their safety in the area.
“One Walmart shopper said the incident had made people in the area reconsider their safety”
Victim quote
A shopper told the TV station: 'You just walk out in the middle of an aisle, and you don't even think about it, but now I will'.
“You just walk out in the middle of an aisle, and you don't even think about it, but now I will”
No motive found
Investigators never offered a motive for the attack.
“Investigators never offered a motive for the attack”
Sentence details
The court ordered sentences to run consecutively for the assault with injury counts and the lesser assault count.
“The court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, or one after another”
Final consequence
Huerta faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to multiple assault charges.
“Now, Huerta faces decades in prison”
What to remember
Vilma Elizabeth Huerta, 22, faces 20-28 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of felonious assault with deadly weapons.
