'Mad Max' victim: 'That poor little creep'

As the 68-year-old woman sat in Lynchburg Circuit Court and watched her rapist walk into the room, she thought, “That poor little creep.”

The woman was raped twice and nearly beaten to death with a crowbar by the man - Shay Ward, 18, who pleaded guilty to the crimes Thursday morning.

“I don’t hate anybody, but I don’t feel sorry for him. He whacked me in the head. I’m supposed to be dead,” the woman said after court.

On May 5, Ward, who was wearing an orange ski mask, told the woman to call him “Mad Max” after he robbed and raped her at gunpoint in her Leesville Road home in the city. Afterward, he beat her in the head with a crowbar until she lost consciousness.

He beat her so severely that he cracked her skull and caused permanent hearing damage in her right ear.

Ward told police he had taken a large amount of the over-the-counter cough medicine Coricidin that night. He said he remembered breaking in the house and robbing the woman, but not raping or beating her.

Rather than face a jury trial on the charges Monday, Ward instead pleaded guilty Thursday as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

“I’m very relieved that I don’t have to testify to all his ugly words. I’m just glad it’s over,” the woman said.

“He’s ruined his whole life by taking drugs. He threw it all away, threw it all away, for no good reason.”

After the hearing, the woman spoke with Ward’s mother, who apologized for her son’s actions. Both women said they would pray for each other, the woman said.

The 68-year-old widow said she wasn’t afraid of Ward and was prepared to testify if the case had gone to trial.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Bill Petty called the woman remarkable.

“She is a very incredibly strong individual. She would have made a very compelling witness,” he said.

The woman said Lynchburg police did a fantastic job of catching Ward and making her feel comfortable.

“They were all just very kind, thoughtful and sensitive,” she said.

She has lived in her house for 13 years and still does, even after the attack.

However, she doesn’t feel as safe as she used to.

“Even though I can’t hear like before, I’m aware of any creak or noise. My son stays with me three nights a week,” she said. “I’m more alert and I make sure my doors are locked tight.”

She has also installed an alarm system.

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satelli...768620309&path=

[camyland]

Wow, this reminds me way too much of articles that were written about weed in the 30's, except now it's DXM that's the culprit of lives gone awry.

[DivineMomentsofTruth]

damn that sucks we are all gonna get heart attacks cause of our dxm use >_<