New Details: Hit & run wrong way driver

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The attorney for a man accused of driving drunk and the wrong way on 264 at the Oceanfront spoke exclusively with WAVY.com.  On Wednesday, 44 year-old Cleveland Robertson went before a judge for the first time since his arrest following a head-on collision with a state trooper.

Attorney Wil Harville says he's not convinced his client was driving drunk.  He says a horrible accident in 2003 left Robertson with brain damage and Harville says now, Robertson is forgetful and easily confused.

When Cleveland Robertson sat down for his video arraignment, that confusion Harville mentioned was clear to the court.  The judge asked him if he saw a video explaining his rights, and Robertson said, "Yes, but I forgot, so they showed me again."

Harville says Robertson used to be a minister who worked for Dominion Power.  He says in 2003, Robertson was shocked with tens of thousands of volts of electricity while working on a tower above the James River Bridge, causing brain damage.

On Wednesday, Robertson faced a judge on charges of hit and run and driving drunk.

911 tapes, just released to WAVY.com reveal several people called for help while a black car drove Westbound in the Eastbound lanes of 264.

"Have you been getting calls about the vehicle driving the wrong way on 264?" asks one caller.

"Yes," says the dispatcher.

"Okay, well he hit a vehicle," says the caller.

"Oh Jeeze," says the dispatcher.

WAVY.com spoke exclusively with Trooper Lee White, one of three victims allegedly hit by Robertson Tuesday morning.

"I told him he struck a vehicle with juveniles in it.  He said, 'I did what?' and then when I told him that he struck me.  He didn't respond.  He didn't know what happened," says White.

Officials say they're still waiting on the results of blood tests run at a local hospital to determine if Robertson was drunk while driving.  Harville argues there's a possibility only Robertson's medication for brain damage was in his system.

Robertson's next court appearance is scheduled for August.
No bond or bail has been set.