Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
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Thursday, July 23, 2009
By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer
A Martinsville man is being held with no bond following a nearly 30-minute pursuit Tuesday that allegedly reached speeds of more than 100 mph, according to a news release from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Marvin Leron Webb, 29, of 285 Riverview Court, Martinsville, was charged with felony elude law enforcement officers and misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and driving while suspended, the release said.
The incident began about 6:23 p.m. Tuesday when officers received a call reporting suspicious circumstances involving two vehicles in the Hampton Inn parking lot, according to the release.
The two vehicles left the parking lot shortly before deputies arrived but were located at a nearby convenience store on U.S. 220, the release said.
A gray 2001 Buick was stopped on Lafayette Avenue in the Villa Heights area by Corp. K.S. Keen, according to Henry County Sheriff’s Capt. Nelson Thomas and the release.
A woman was operating that vehicle, the captain said.
Alleged drug paraphernalia was located in the Buick, according to Thomas and the release.
Henry County Deputy T.L. Frye tried to stop the other vehicle involved in the incident, a gray 1987 Chevrolet Caprice, according to Thomas and the release.
A man was operating the Chevrolet, the captain said. Frye tried to get the vehicle to stop while it was in the Bojangles parking lot, Thomas said.
However, the driver allegedly “punched” the accelerator and “the pursuit started there,” he said.
Turning onto Koehler Road, the Chevrolet traveled to Appalachian Drive in Fieldale, Thomas said.
The vehicle soon turned onto the U.S. 220 bypass heading north before taking the Collinsville exit onto U.S. 220 business, Thomas said.
The Chevrolet then “made a U-turn” and headed back to the bypass heading south to Joseph Martin Highway, according to Thomas and the release.
Jumping back on the northside of the U.S. 220 bypass, the Chevrolet took the exit onto U.S. 58 west and was pursued by Patrick County sheriff’s officers, according to Thomas and the release.
Before the vehicle was stopped, the pursuit allegedly “did reach speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour at times,” Thomas said.
After traveling 8 to 9 miles into Patrick County, the driver allegedly lost control of the Chevrolet, and the vehicle hit a guardrail, according to the release.
A search of that vehicle netted a handgun and other contraband, according to Thomas and Sgt. Curtis Spence.
“We are very fortunate that no one was injured” during the pursuit, Spence said. “No residents were injured, and the only vehicle damaged was when the suspect hit the guardrail.”
The incident remains under investigation.
Authorities in Henry and Patrick counties, along with the Virginia State Police, assisted with the pursuit.
The driver of the Buick, Cindy Lou Custer, 39, of 727 Wilson Ave., Martinsville, received a ticket for failure to display tags on a vehicle, the release stated. |
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