Birmingham man who injured Sen. Joe Manchin’s wife in police crash pleads guilty to gun charge – AL.com

A Birmingham man accused in a car crash that injured the wife of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin earlier this year has pleaded guilty to a federal gun crime.

Tradaryl Rishad Boykins, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Kugler to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a release Wednesday from U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Prim Escalona and ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.

Boykins still faces multiple state charges in connection with the January crash, which happened during a police chase that began in Homewood and ended in Birmingham.

On January 29, 2024, Homewood police officers spotted Boykins and learned he had outstanding warrants. They tried to pull him away, but he couldn’t stop.

The pursuit traveled along Green Springs Highway at speeds of 80 miles per hour. He was on the wrong side of the road, running red lights and jumping curbs, authorities said.

The pursuit continued to Interstate 65 and then exited at 17th Street in Birmingham, still at a high rate of speed.

Boykins then struck the vehicle with Gail Manchin, the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, and her colleague Guy Land inside. Manchin was a passenger in the SUV driven by Land.

Manchin has a broken sternum and internal bleeding. Land has eight broken ribs and a broken arm.

Boykins, at the time of the crash, had a .40-caliber handgun on the board that matched the gun used in a previous shooting incident in Homewood.

Boykins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions for robbery and burglary.

The ATF is investigating the case along with the Homewood Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William R. McComb is prosecuting.

A sentencing date has not yet been announced.