Daniel Maurice of Staunton sentenced for role in Augusta County shooting

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

7 2 minutes read

STAUNTON — A Staunton man was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday morning for his involvement in the shooting of a teenager in Augusta County last summer.

Appearing by video in Augusta County Circuit Court, Daniel Keegan Maurice, 21, pleaded guilty to a charge of malicious wounding stemming from the shooting of a 16-year-old boy on Cold Springs Road near Raphine, on July 15, 2023.

In the plea agreement, Maurice was sentenced to 10 years in prison with seven years suspended. He was also placed on probation for three years after his release from prison. Maurice is currently being held at the Middle River Regional Jail awaiting transfer to the Virginia Department of Corrections.

Early one Saturday morning last summer, the victim was lured to a meeting with a woman. Through a fake Instagram account, the victim was led to believe the woman was romantically interested in him, according to Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Lorna Hilliard.

The 16-year-old boy met the woman depicted on the Instagram account and was driven to the 5400 block of Cold Springs Road, near Raphine, according to the prosecutor.

Maurice, accompanied by Dustin RG Simmons, was waiting for the victim out of sight when he arrived. Maurice pulled the 16-year-old out of the car and hit him in the head, according to the prosecution. Simmons then opened fire, shooting the victim three times. He was shot once in the stomach and the bullet hit his liver.

The teen was taken to Augusta Health in Fishersville with injuries considered life-threatening before being flown to UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville.

Simmons, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted as an adult and sentenced in February to 23 years in prison with 13 years suspended, giving him 10 years to serve. The woman who was driving the car, Triston M.H. Bane, was sentenced in early June to 10 years in prison, with nine years suspended.

Prosecutors say Maurice cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation, leading police to find the firearm used in the shooting. Hilliard said Maurice had no criminal history and did not know the plan last summer was to shoot the victim.

Hilliard said it's alarming to see the recent number of shootings involving youth.

“It’s really worrying,” she said.

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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at the News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us on newsleader.com

Lina Portman

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