A three-county high-speed pursuit ended in Madison last week.
On Nov. 29, a Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle traveling 95 mph on Rt. 522, Sperryville Pike. The driver did not stop, but continued traveling onto Slate Mills Road passing through a portion of Rappahannock County before continuing south on Rt. 231 in Madison County.
According to law enforcement, the suspect turned off his lights in an attempt to evade the deputy. Other law enforcement agents were placing spike strips further ahead when the driver turned onto Hebron Court and crashed into a tree at the end of the culdesac. The deputy also hit a tree as he was attempting to stop upon the crash of the suspect. Both the driver and the deputy sustained minor injuries and received medical attention at an area hospital. The suspect was still not cooperating when he was assisted from the vehicle and taken into custody.
The suspect driver has been identified as Christian Gervais, 22. He has been charged with reckless driving, felony eluding, false/fictitious registration, operating an unregistered vehicle and driving without a seatbelt. Further investigation is pending on the vehicle and tags. Virginia State Police is investigating the crash. No citizens or bystanders were injured.
Culpeper County Sheriff Timothy Chilton said when asked why he ran, Gervais said he thought he was “wanted from Maryland.”
“I don’t understand the thought process or I guess you could say the lack of thought process,” Chilton said. “Terrible decisions could’ve been something he didn’t walk away from.”
