Ocala courthouse: Prison terms for two men in separate felony cases
Two felony cases were resolved recently at the Marion County Judicial Center. Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon presided over both cases.
Rene Nadal pleaded no contest to attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to a 15-year prison term, according to prosecutors.
Nadal's plea agreement says he cannot have any contact with the victim. He has 838 days of credit for time already served at the Marion County Jail, court records show.
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Nadal, 30, of Belleview, had been scheduled to stand trial July 7. But he entered his plea on June 27.
Local lawyer Jack Maro represented Nadal at his hearing. Assistant State Attorney Marissa Meyer was the state's representative.
In March 2020, Nadal was taken into custody and accused of shooting two men. One of them died at a local hospital, authorities said.
The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Charles Brady of Summerfield. Prosecutors did not file a murder charge against Nadal because they were unable “to disprove beyond all reasonable doubt that Nadal was legally allowed to use deadly force based on a reasonable fear that his life” or that the lives of the other two people at the residence on Feb. 14 were in danger.
The state said the case was reviewed in accordance with Florida's stand your ground law.
State Attorney's Office officials did charge Nadal with the shooting of the second man.
Law enforcement officials were told that the shooting was a dispute over $10. Officials said the two men went to the 4400 block of Southeast 115th Street in Belleview to talk with Nadal about the money. Authorities were told that Nadal agreed to pay one of the men $5.
Words were exchanged and Nadal fired shots. Brady died and the other man escaped unharmed. Nadal left before law enforcement officials arrived.
State v. Barry Wood
On Thursday, Barry Wood pleaded guilty to two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury, two counts of DUI impairment with personal injury, DUI with property damage and felony domestic violence battery by strangulation. Charges of leaving the scene of a crash with injuries and battery were dropped.
Wood's plea deal calls for two years in prison and two years of probation.
Wood, 36, of Silver Springs, also must submit to random drug and alcohol screenings at his own expense, have an interlock device in his vehicle for a year and complete a substance abuse program.
Assistant State Attorney Kyle Lambert represented the state at the hearing. Defense lawyer David Mengers of Ocala represented Wood, who attended the hearing via Zoom from the jail. Wood has more than 200 days of credit for time already spent at the jail, lawyers said.
Authorities said Wood was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Ocala in March 2019 that injured several people, including children. The crash occurred at Northeast 25th Avenue and 14th Street.
The man's blood-alcohol content registered at 0.135 and 0.134. The state's legal limit is 0.08.
Officials said Wood's vehicle struck a second vehicle, which had the green light, at the intersection.
Initially, Wood left the scene. He returned later and told authorities that the other vehicle had pulled out in front of him.
Officials said two children, both younger than 10, were ejected from the vehicle.
Wood was arrested a few months after the crash.
The felony domestic violence battery by strangulation charge was a separate matter in October 2021, according to court records.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Judge in Ocala, Florida sentences to men to prison in felony cases
