Jury Convicts Springfield Man of Hatchet Assault in National Park

HARRISONBURG, Va. - A federal jury convicted a Springfield, Va., man yesterday for assaulting his then-girlfriend with a hatchet while camping in the Shenandoah National Park.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on the night of August 24, 2025, Soufiane Bougria, 31, and his then-girlfriend (Victim 1) were camping at the Mathews Arm Campground in the Shenandoah National Park. Three different park visitors testified that they witnessed a heated and violent argument between Bougria and Victim 1 in the late-night hours of August 24.

These witnesses, from two different campsites, heard screaming, slamming, crying, choking, and what sounded to them like a gunshot. One of the witnesses saw the defendant physically grabbing Victim 1.

These witnesses described hearing a male voice say, "I don't care, I'll do the max sentence" and a female voice say, "I can't believe you would threaten me with murder."

All three witnesses independently called 911.

National Park Service Rangers responded to the area near Mathews Arm Campground. On their way to the campground, Park Rangers encountered two of the witnesses at a nearby overlook. While speaking with the witnesses, a car matching the description of the defendant's vehicle drove past the overlook. Officers pursued the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.

When officers approached the vehicle, they observed Bougria driving and visibly intoxicated. He was shirtless, barefoot, and smelled of alcohol. In addition, Victim 1 was sitting in the passenger seat crying and screaming. She was holding a piece of clothing around her right arm in an effort to stop the bleeding from a gaping laceration on her right arm and wrist. As officers looked around the car, they saw blood and fatty tissue. They also observed that the windshield of the car was shattered, and both the hood and windshield had large, dirty footprints on them.

When questioned by officers, the defendant told them Victim 1's arm was accidentally cut with an axe.

Emergency medical personnel arrived at the overlook and transported Victim 1 to the nearest hospital. Treating physicians determined she needed a higher level of care based on the seriousness of her injuries and transported her to Winchester Medical Center where she underwent emergency surgery.

In the early morning hours of August 25, 2025, National Park Service Rangers returned to the Mathews Arm campsite where Bougria and Victim 1 were camping. They found a hatchet with blood spatter on the handle, blood throughout the campsite, pepper spray, shoes, and other personal belongings strewn around the campsite.

First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci U.S. made the announcement.

The National Park Service is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Browne are prosecuting the case for the United States.