People talk 1/17/03

Expensive joy ride means jail for driver

RICHMOND, Va. -- A man who wrecked a $300,000 sports car owned by Grammy-winning hip-hop star Missy Elliott was sentenced to three years in jail for the late-night spin.

"This is not a typical unauthorized-use case by any means, your honor," Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Huberman told the judge before Joseph Thomas Johnson was sentenced Wednesday.

Johnson, 34, was convicted Oct. 9 of driving the Lamborghini Diablo away from the garage where it was stored.

"He takes a vehicle that is worth more than most houses and totals it," Huberman said, arguing for a sentence longer than the 19 months suggested by state guidelines.

Judge George F. Tidey was convinced, and sentenced Johnson to the longer sentence.

He also ordered $170,000 in restitution for the car and $1,975 for curb repairs at the wreck site.

The plum-colored Italian sports car was being shipped from California to Elliott's home in Virginia Beach.

It was parked for safety inside a building in suburban Richmond until the last leg of its trip when Johnson took it for a drive on Oct. 9, 2001.

Three miles from the garage, Johnson lost control of the 550-horsepower, low-slung vehicle. It crashed into a traffic sign, a tree and a couple of curbs.

-- From wire reports