James Alex Fields, a 20-year-old, is accused of driving his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of people protesting the “Unite the Right” rally. Fields, from Ohio, is being charged with second-degree murder for the incident that led to 19 people being injured and the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer.
CNN reports that classmates and a former teacher state Fields was “big into Nazism.” His former social studies teacher reports that Fields had a fondness for Adolf Hitler.
Fields’ mother, Samantha Bloom, reported that Fields had a black friend and was in shock following the incident. He texted his mother on Friday to tell her that he was going to the “alt-right” rally in Virginia and even dropped his cat off at his mother’s home.
Bloom states that she tries to stay out of her son’s political views, and thought he was going to a rally about President Donald Trump and not a white nationalist rally. Police report that when the family lived in Kentucky, they were called to the family’s home multiple times.
One incident, according to CNN, alleged that Fields was violent towards his mother who was in a wheelchair at the time.
It’s unclear, at this time, if any of the victims will press charges against Fields.
“If you have been injured in a car accident, it is crucial to protect your rights, to seek the compensation that you deserve and to hold the negligent party accountable,” states Reyna Injury Lawyers.
Fields, along with the city, may be named in lawsuits from victims and their family members. The city has been criticized for not having enough personnel to curb the attacks.
Fields appeared in court on Monday morning and informed the court that he cannot afford a lawyer. He stated that he works for Securitas earning $650 every two weeks. The next hearing, which will be in front of the court appointed lawyer for Fields, will be on August 25.
A statement from Securitas indicate that Fields was fired from his position on Monday.
The company states that Fields was a good employee and performed his duties properly. He reportedly asked for vacation time to go to Charlottesville.
Fields left for active duty in the Army in December 2015, but reportedly failed to meet training standards. He was not allowed to join the military or to be assigned to a basic training unit.
Fields was taken into custody shortly after he rammed his vehicle into protestors. Videos showing the horrific acts will be used as proof against Fields.
