Woman convicted of child endangerment released from jail pending appeal

A Richmond woman sentenced to two months in jail and convicted of felony child neglect this month has been released pending an appeal.

Sharon Breeden Wood, 37, of the 300 block of Clovelly Road in Windsor Farms, agreed as part of her bail not to drive and to not consume alcohol or take unprescribed medicines, her lawyer said yesterday.

Matthew P. Geary said Wood served seven days in jail before gaining a Henrico County judge's approval last week that she be freed on $10,000 bail pending an appeal of her convictions to the state Court of Appeals.

On Sept. 16, Henrico Circuit Judge Catherine C. Hammond sentenced Wood to two months in jail on a misdemeanor conviction of driving under the influence. Wood was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs.

Hammond said then that Wood's conduct on the day of her arrest, Sept. 23, 2008, constituted a threat to public safety. According to police, she reacted violently after being tested and taken into custody.

Hammond also issued suspended sentences on two convictions of felony child neglect. Two of Wood's children were in her car at a time when witnesses described her as unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel of her car at the Libbie Place shopping center.

Police forced her to the ground before handcuffing her.

Geary said yesterday that if her appeal fails, Wood still will have to serve 22 more days in jail. She received credit for an additional day behind bars on the day of her arrest; jail sentences, also, generally extend for half the amount of time imposed.

-- Bill McKelway