CULPEPER, Va. — A vehicle pursuit that began in the Town of Culpeper early Wednesday morning and continued into Culpeper County ended with the arrest of an Afton man.
According to the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the pursuit started around 4:50 a.m, when officers attempted to stop a suspected intoxicated driver, who refused.
As the chase moved into the county, CCSO deputies took over as the primary pursuing agency.
Deputies made several attempts to box in the vehicle; however, the driver continued to evade capture.
During the pursuit, the suspect’s vehicle struck one of the CCSO patrol cars in an attempt to escape.
The patrol car sustained minor damage, and no injuries were reported to either the deputy or the suspect.
Deputies later discovered that the driver had thrown an object from the vehicle during the chase. Sgt. DeJarnette and K9 Drake recovered the item, which was found to be a bottle containing illegal narcotics.
Sgt. McPeek deployed spike strips near the Ole Country Store on James Monroe Highway, deflating the vehicle’s passenger-side tires.
The pursuit ended shortly afterward when Deputies Madison, Hart and Fulcher boxed in the suspect’s vehicle and took the driver into custody following a brief struggle.
The driver, identified as Tucker Hughes, of Afton, was charged with driving under the influence, possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance, assault on law enforcement, felony eluding, and several related misdemeanor offenses.
CCSO thanked the Town of Culpeper Police Department for its assistance and coordination during the incident.
In a written statement, Sheriff T.W. Chilton said:
“I know police chases are hot topics. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t! As you can see not only the alcohol but meth caused this chain of events. Luckily these don’t happen often.”
The case remains under investigation.
