PETERSBURG, Va. -- A prominent Petersburg criminal defense attorney and his wife are once again facing abduction and assault charges in connection to an alleged limo attack in July 2019.
Charles Vanevera Hardenbergh and his wife, Mari Liza Hardenbergh, were recently indicted by a grand jury on charges of abduction by force, malicious wounding, and entering home to commit to commit assault and battery.
Charles was also charged with damaging a phone line to prevent someone from calling 911 and destruction of property, while Mari has a separate charge of grand larceny.
The charges stem from an alleged incident on July 21, 2019. The couple is accused of attacking a person inside a limo and then breaking into the victim’s home to continue the attack.
The woman who filed the criminal complaint says she knows the couple.
The complaint alleges that the couple and the victim were riding in a limo from Richmond to Petersburg. Charles Hardenbergh is accused of covering the victim's head with a pillow, while his wife “severely beat” the victim in the head and face.
When they got back to the Hardenburgh’s house, the victim says she walked home but the couple followed here. The victim alleges Charles got inside her home and “beat and terrorized” her over the course of four hours.
On November 28, 2019, several felony and misdemeanor charges in connection to the incident were Nolle prossed, meaning the charges were dismissed but could be brought back at a later date.
Charles Hardenbergh is a criminal traffic attorney and has a law firm in Petersburg called the Hardenbergh Law Firm which specializes in reckless driving and DUI cases.
Charles and Mari are scheduled to appear in court on February 25.
