Woman injured; ex-boyfriend charged
An argument resulted in a woman tumbling from a moving car and landed a Culpeper man in jail Wednesday, July 16.
Matthew Edward Carter, 19, of the 800 block of Third Street, stands charged with felony unlawful wounding and felony hit-and-run.
The 19-year-old female victim told police that she and Carter, her former boyfriend, were driving on Virginia Avenue and began arguing. She asked Carter to take her home, according to police.
Carter stopped the car to apparently allow her to get out and walk home.
Realizing the car was moving, the victim tried to get back in the car. She told police that she also felt Carter’s hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t sure whether he shoved her or grabbed for her.
A witness saw the victim “barrel roll” out of the passenger side door of the two-door Volkswagen GTI. She then crawled to the side of the road and attempted to stand up, the witness said. The witness put the victim in his car and called police.
The victim suffered injuries to her ankle, elbow and sides. Career medics also responded to the scene.
A short time later, police located Carter.
Carter told police that he noticed a car following them with a man driving who liked the victim. He said they argued over the fact that she was just trying to make him jealous.
As the couple argued back and forth during the drive to her home, Carter said he realized that she was no longer in the car. He drove off after he saw her in his rear view mirror attempting to stand up.
Carter was being held in the Culpeper County Jail on $1,500 bond. He is scheduled for arraignment in juvenile and domestic relations court on Monday, July 28 at 8:30 a.m.