An Augusta County deputy, Sgt. William Mikolay, was arrested and charged for offenses that occurred amid a September 29 police chase that ended with the suspect hospitalized.
Sheriff Donald Smith’s Office released a statement about the September 29th pursuit after it happened explaining that it was about 3:30 a.m. and an unnamed deputy was on patrol near Three Notched Mountain Hwy. A black Infinity “caught the attention of the Deputy as being the vehicle involved with multiple pursuits over the past several weeks with The Virginia State Police and numerous other law enforcement agencies.”
The deputy ran the registration, which allegedly came back to a different vehicle. The deputy then tried to stop the vehicle, which didn’t comply, and a pursuit ensued, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Infinity got on I-64 East and went into Albemarle. According to Sheriff Smith’s account, the deputy notified Albemarle authorities the pursuit was heading into their territory, and Albemarle deputies successfully launched tire deflation devices but the Infiniti kept going.
Apparently, Albemarle police didn’t join the pursuit at the point. Smith reported that the Infinity continued down Dudley Mountain Rd “at reduced speeds, and losing several tires,” but “the only law enforcement vehicles involved in the pursuit were two Augusta County Deputies.”
The driver of the Infiniti lost control, crashed into an embankment at Dudley Mountain Road and Red Hill Road, and got out and ran, Smith claimed. An Augusta deputy, which, again, Smith didn’t name, ran after the suspect.
“Once the deputy got within an arm reach of the male suspect, the male suspect turned on the deputy in a fighting stance. There was a physical altercation,” the Sheriff reported.
That suspect was Adam Ryan Martin, a 38-year-old Gordonsville man who Smith said had an outstanding capias from Fluvanna for fentanyl possession.
For the pursuit on September 29, warrants were obtained for:
- Obstruction of justice
- Felony assault and battery on a law enforcement,
- Felony eluding,
- Felony possession with the intent to distribute weapons of terror (a new charge that can be used for fentanyl in Virginia)
- Felony possession with intent to distribute Schedule I or II
- Felony possession of Schedule I or II
But before Martin could deal with facing charges, he was transported to UVA “and hospitalized for treatment of his injuries,” Smith announced. But the Sheriff didn’t reveal what type of injuries Martin had or how he have received them.
Wednesday, following their investigation, Virginia State Police obtained warrants for Sgt. Mikolay for misdemeanor assault and battery and felony malicious wounding.
According to the State Code felony malicious wounding is an incident where a person injures another “with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill,” which is a Class 3 felony, or it’s an injury “done unlawfully but not maliciously,” which is a Class 6 felony.
Mikolay was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond and is currently on paid administrative leave pending trial, said Sheriff Smith.
The decision to charge Mikolay came at the direction of Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Sheriff added.
On September 29, there was also a female in the car with Martin who was detained. Sheriff Smith did not report that she attempted to flee or that any charges were filed against her.
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