VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Nearly two years after 23-year-old James Beckles IV was struck and killed while crossing the intersection of Lynnhaven Parkway and Princess Anne Road, the driver responsible has been sentenced for involuntary manslaughter.
Beckles was killed in February 2024 while walking his bike home from work. The driver, Rodney Coleman, stayed at the scene after the crash and was later charged with involuntary manslaughter. Coleman’s bench trial took place in August.
The 23-year-old grew up playing sports at Atlantic Shores and at Landstown High School.
According to Beckles’ father, James Beckles III, Coleman told the court he was originally on his way to the store but decided to turn back home.
“Lynnhaven to Princess Anne, he was crossing over and had successfully crossed all the way over, but the last two lanes,” Beckles said. “The guy was in the right lane getting ready to turn right, but at that moment changed his mind and swung back to the left, where my son was, therefore hitting my son.”
During the trial, Beckles learned how fast Coleman had been driving.
“He should have been going 45 mph, but he was doing 83 mph when he hit my son,” Beckles said. “That’s the reason why my son’s body landed on the other side of that intersection.”
Coleman was sentenced Monday to three years in prison.
For the Beckles family, the pain of losing James remains as strong as ever.
“A lot of the times that I visit his grave, it’s been raining, and I just sit there and try to feel him,” his father said.
“I wake up all the time still thinking it’s just a dream, like I could see him any day,” said Clarissa Beckles, his sister. “We’re just still getting used to not having him.”
Sentencing guidelines were 10 months to just under three years.
The family believes the sentence was too light.
“We all feel that he obviously deserved more time,” Clarissa Beckles said. “He has to serve two to three years, but we have to go on with our lives without our brother. It’s like a life sentence for us.”
Through the tragedy, the family says what keeps them together is James’s young daughter, who was only 7 months old when her dad passed away.
“If it wasn’t for his child, I don’t know where anyone in this family would be,” his father said. “She brings a certain joy — she brings happiness to the entire family.”
The family plans in the future to replace the memorial with a cross to honor his life.
