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WENTWORTH — A Reidsville man accused of shooting at two public works employees purchased a rifle shortly before the crime occurred, prosecutors said Monday in court.

Charles Bright, 44, of 3443 Grooms Road entered an Alford plea Monday to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one count of discharging a weapon into occupied property. While not admitting guilt, Bright acknowledged there was enough evidence to convict him of the June 2008 shooting.

With the plea, prosecutors dismissed two charges of attempted first-degree murder. Bright faced a maximum 40 years in prison had he been convicted on those charges,  defense attorney Jason Ross said.

Judge L. Todd Burke sentenced Bright to between eight and 11 years in prison. He will be given credit for the 17 months he has served in the Rockingham County jail.

Public works employees Mike Hall and Trey Denny were driving in a work truck on South Scales Street on June 2, 2008.

Prosecutor Julia Hejazi said they saw Bright at a traffic light.

They were familiar with Bright because he had been banned from parks and recreation facilities for harassing work crews.

When the light turned green, the employees tried to make a left turn, Hejazi said, but Bright turned in front of them and blocked their path. He aimed a rifle at  them and shot, she said. Neither man was injured.

After the shooting, Hejazi said Bright followed the men until he realized they were driving to the police department.

He was later found and arrested at a Bojangle’s restaurant. Police found the rifle in his car, and Hejazi said it had recently been bought at a sporting goods store.

Bright said in court that he thought the district attorney’s office had forced him into taking the plea, but when Burke asked him if he wanted to change his plea, Bright declined.

No reason was given in court for Bright’s accused actions against the public works employees. But Ross said outside the courtroom that Bright accused the two workers of having harassed him.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com