Published: May 27, 2008 08:15 pm      

Fuel drive-off leads to high-speed pursuit

RICHLANDS, Va. — A Virginia man is being held without bond after a late-night gas drive-off led to a high-speed pursuit in Tazewell and Buchanan counties.

The incident began around 11:52 Monday night when the Richlands Police Department was contacted about a reported gas drive-off at the Little General Store on Second Street, Richlands Police Chief William Puckett said.

The driver of the suspect vehicle, Jerry Matthew Davis, 31, of 999 Jabo Lane, Richlands, reportedly drove off in a burgundy 2003 Chevrolet truck after pumping $54 in gasoline, Puckett said.

A unit of the Richlands Police Department spotted the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Puckett said. “The vehicle refused to stop and they engage the vehicle in a pursuit that went into the downtown section of Richlands. Then the suspect kept going on Route 67 north of Richlands, on what we call the Big Creek Road section.”

During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle was traveling at speeds up to 70 to 80 mph, Puckett said.

The chase continued into the West Fork section of Tazewell County, where officers pursued the vehicle for about eight miles. Puckett described this as a “real rough, remote section of the county,” and said officers terminated the pursuit at this time.

About 10 to 15 minutes later the vehicle re-entered the West Fork section on Hill Creed Road, Puckett said. At that time two units in that area saw the vehicle and again attempted to make a traffic stop.

“The driver fled and wouldn’t stop for lights and sirens,” Puckett said. “He traveled west on Route 460 toward Grundy. The vehicle then went on to Red Route Ridge, then turned on to State Route 629, the Osborne Mountain Section of Buchanan County.”

The chase continued on this road for about two miles when the driver of the truck lost control on a sharp curve on the gravel road and traveled about 150 feet down the mountain, Puckett said. A unit of the Richlands Police Department pursuing the vehicle then lost control in the ensuing dust cloud, traveling about 30 to 40 feet over the mountain.

The police officer, patrolman F.L. Dorton, was wearing a seat belt and was not injured in the crash, Puckett said.

The suspect was also uninjured, and proceeded to flee into a wooded area, Puckett said.

Units with the Virginia State Police and Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene and assisted the Richlands Police department in tracking the suspect, who was soon located, Puckett said.

“At that time the suspect drew a knife and held the officers at bay for about 10 to 15 minutes,” Puckett said. “After that period of time he surrendered.”

Puckett said the suspect’s vehicle was a total loss as a result of the accident, but the patrolman’s car was not estimated to be a total loss.

No one was hospitalized or treated as a result of the accident. “We’re glad that it ended the way it did and he finally surrendered without any more acts of violence,” Puckett said.

Davis has been charged with two counts of felony alluding a police officer, one count of petit larceny and one count of gasoline drive-off.

Puckett said additional charges on the suspect will likely be presented to the Tazewell County Circuit Court Grand Jury.

Davis is currently being held without bond in the Southwest Regional Jail at Tazewell, Va.

— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com