A Virginia Beach man charged this month with stabbing his ex-wife and stepdaughter, fleeing with his three biological children and then causing a car crash that killed the youngest and injured the other two made his first local court appearance Thursday.
Dana Plummer, who also was injured in the Aug. 15 crash off a Maryland highway, was extradited on Wednesday to Virginia Beach, where he’s being held without bond in the city jail.
Plummer made his first court appearance via video Thursday in the city’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Judge Cheshire Eveleigh informed him of the many charges he faces, and scheduled a bond hearing for Friday. Among the counts against him is one accusing him of maliciously wounding a pregnant woman, and names his ex-wife as the victim.
After the hearing, Plummer agreed to be interviewed at the jail by reporters from The Virginian-Pilot and three local TV stations.
The series of events leading to his arrest began when Plummer allegedly stabbed his ex-wife and her 12-year-old daughter in their home, then fled with his sons, ages 7 and 5, and his 16-month-old daughter.
A statewide Amber Alert was issued, and Plummer’s vehicle was located hours later by state police in Northern Virginia. Officers attempted to pull him over, then followed him into Maryland, where he crashed into two other vehicles. Plummer’s daughter was pronounced dead after being flown to a children’s hospital, and he and his sons were taken to hospitals for treatment.
In Thursday’s interview, Plummer made a series of unsubstantiated claims, including that he was trying to protect his children. He said he was heading to his aunt’s home in Washington when the crash occurred, and that his daughter was in a child safety seat in the backseat, and both sons were wearing seat belts. He also said he prays his boys are safe, and that his daughter is now with his own mother, who also is deceased.
Virginia Beach court records show local police became concerned about Dana Plummer in March, when he was seen displaying “paranoid” behavior while armed with a shotgun in a restaurant with his sons. Officers sought a court order that would require him to hand over any firearms he had, and to prevent him from purchasing or possessing them. A judge later granted the order, and Plummer voluntarily surrendered four guns.
On Aug. 2, Plummer’s 14-year career with the Navy ended when he was “separated” from the service. A Navy spokesperson declined to say whether it was a voluntary or involuntary action. Plummer said on Thursday that he was never notified of the action.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
