Virginia State troopers were injured in two separate police pursuits last weekend.
On Friday, April 12, around 2:30 p.m. Chesapeake Police Department was advised of a police pursuit coming their way that originated in Elizabeth City, NC. Chesapeake PD said they were informed the suspect had already hit an Elizabeth City police vehicle.
Chesapeake PD, in turn, reached out to Virginia State Police.
When the Lexus RX350 crossed into Chesapeake, Chesapeake Police joined the pursuit and reported successfully deploying spike strips.
Still, the vehicle continued onto I-64 from Dominion Boulevard heading toward Virginia Beach. At that point, Virginia State troopers also joined the police chase.
As the pursuit approached Greenbriar Parkway, troopers got into position to stop the Lexus. As the vehicle approached Indian River Road, the driver, 52-year-old Heather Lee Barrington, allegedly hit three VSP vehicles causing one trooper to crash and the airbags to be deployed.
Barrington was stopped and was found have an infant in the vehicle. According to VSP, the child was restrained in a safety seat, but the safety seat wasn’t secured with a seatbelt.
The baby was taken Children of the King’s Daughters Hospital to be evaluated.
The trooper who crashed was transported to Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Barrington, who was believed to be under the influence, wasn’t hurt. She was booked at Chesapeake City Jail where she is being held without bond.
In Chesapeake, she’s charged with eluding: endangerment, assault on law enforcement, and gross negligence of a child.
In Virginia Beach, she’s charged with:
- Eluding: endangerment
- 3 counts of assault on law enforcement,
- Gross negligence of a child,
- 3 counts of destruction of property over $1,000,
- Drive failing to stop, report or assist with injury
- Reckless endangerment
- Resisting arrest
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Juvenile chase in Fairfax
Four people were injured in police chase in Fairfax Sunday night.
Around 9 p.m. VSP reported getting a call about a vehicle on the left shoulder of the I-66 Express Lanes at the 58-mile marker.
When troopers arrived, the male in the car was reportedly “acting weirdly” and allegedly there were narcotics visible in the car.
VSP said a trooper asked the driver multiple times to turn off the vehicle, but he refused. Eventually, he pulled off, leading to a pursuit.
Troopers tried to stop the vehicle in the Express Lanes, VSP reported, but both the suspect and one of the troopers lost control in the median. The suspect regained control of his vehicle, but the trooper ended up in the westbound Express Lanes and hit a Honda CR-V.
Eventually, the suspect got off onto Rt. 50 west and turned onto a residential road that had a dead end, allowing him to be taken into custody.
The driver was a 17-year-old from Maryland.
Authorities took him to the hospital to be checked before he was charged with eluding, driving without a license, and reckless driving. VSP said additional charges are pending.
The male driver of the Honda CR-V, a four-year-old passenger, and the trooper involved in the crash all were taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released, VSP reported. A female passenger in the vehicle was kept overnight at the hospital for observation of her non-life-threatening injuries.
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