A Lynchburg woman has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges involving attempts to stab police officers in two separate incidents.
Ashley Dawn Biggs Neeley received a 27-year sentence, with 15 years suspended, according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison. Upon release, she must serve three years of supervised probation and maintain 25 years of good behavior as ordered by Judge J. Frederick Watson.
In April 2025, Biggs Neeley pleaded guilty to several charges, including attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, and two misdemeanor assault and battery charges involving Child Protective Services workers from a 2023 case. She also pleaded guilty to additional charges of assaulting a police officer and felony escape without force from a separate September 2023 incident.
Second Police Shooting Ruled Justified
On September 2023, officers were called to Miller Park after reports that Biggs Neeley had been chasing Aaron Neeley with a knife. Officer Donellan, among the responding officers, encountered Aaron Neeley near the park pool. Body camera footage captured Aaron warning that Biggs Neeley was unstable, had been using meth, and was armed with a knife.
Officer Donellan was already aware that Biggs Neeley had been shot by officers months earlier, in May 2023, after she allegedly used a knife against police. He alerted other responding officers to use caution.
Officers located Biggs Neeley in a bus stop shelter with two officers already at the scene. Despite repeated orders to keep her hands visible, she allegedly retrieved a knife from her purse. Officers drew their weapons and ordered her to drop the knife. According to Harrison, Biggs Neeley then charged Officer Donellan, who fired a shot that struck her in the head, causing her to fall and drop the weapon.
Biggs Neeley survived the incident and was later taken into custody.
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