Nancy Drury DuncanStaff Writer- Daily Times
ACCOMAC -- An Accomack County man described by his attorney as having "cold feet" before his wedding will serve jail time for taking his girlfriend's money and car and trying to flee to Central America just weeks before the planned nuptials.
Gilbert Werner, 33, of Chincoteague pleaded guilty to charges of uttering, grand larceny and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Accomack Circuit Court.
Defense attorney Patrick Robbins said the man was having "second thoughts" two weeks before the upcoming marriage.
Werner took $500 from his fiancé, forged her checks and used her car in a way that was described as "beyond the scope of her permission."
The car was found in Salisbury where Werner left it. Werner bought an airline ticket out of the country in an attempt to meet his mother in Costa Rica, according to Robbins.
He had been abandoned by her as a child and grew up in an orphanage, Robbins told the court.
On the witness stand, Werner said he was going through a lot.
"I had just found my mother," he said. "I just kind of broke down."
He said his then-girlfriend had forgiven him for what he did. "She still loves and misses me," he said.
Robbins said his client had made restitution and even filed his 2010 tax return from jail, where he has been the past 10 months.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Francis Suraci presented evidence that Werner should serve time in jail because he had a criminal record. He was convicted of arson and unlawful wounding when he was 19 years old, Suraci said.
A year later, Suraci said, he served time for grand larceny and unlawful wounding.
"He was good for 13 years," Robbins said. He has been working and making "pretty decent earnings."
Werner was sentenced to nine years in prison with all suspended but 18 months.
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