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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Fletcher Millner |
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A Martinsville man was charged early Monday in connection with a pursuit in the city, according to a city release.
Fletcher Dernard Millner, 20, of 1160 Yorkshire Road, Martinsville, was arrested and charged with felony eluding police, misdemeanor obstruction of justice and misdemeanor driving with a revoked license, the release stated.
According to the release, shortly before 12:30 a.m. Monday, Martinsville Police Officer Eddie Dillard observed a white, 1990s-model Buick allegedly operated with defective equipment on Memorial Boulevard near Lavinder Street.
The vehicle refused to stop and continued traveling on Memorial Boulevard before turning right onto Park Street, the release stated.
Police pursued the Buick to several residential streets and major thoroughfares before traveling on Askin Street and turning left onto DuPont Road in Henry County, according to the release.
The vehicle stopped and the driver fled on foot just below the Martinsville DuPont Credit Union office, the release stated. Dillard was joined by Virginia State Trooper Noah Night, who was nearby at the time the incident started, and the two officers chased the driver on foot.
The driver left the transmission of the Buick in drive, causing it to continue to roll forward, the release stated. Martinsville Officer Richard Pulliam had pulled his police cruiser in front of the Buick when the driver left the car and the Buick rolled forward, stopping against the front bumper of Pulliam’s cruiser, the release stated. The low-speed collision caused only minor cosmetic damage to the front end of the police cruiser and the Buick.
The driver allegedly continued to flee on foot, running between a utility pole and an attached guide wire, the release stated. As Dillard pursued the driver on foot, he hit the guy wire with his left shoulder in a full sprint, the release added.
The driver was chased down by Night and taken to the ground after he allegedly reached for his waistband, the release stated. After the driver was apprehended, a handgun was found underneath him, according to the release.
Dillard received minor injuries when he collided with the utility pole guy wire, and he will return to work as scheduled. The chase began in Martinsville and ended just across the border in Henry County.
The Martinsville Police Department is continuing to investigate the case. Anyone with information on it should contact the Martinsville Police Department Investigations Unit at 403-5301, the 911 Center, or Crime Stoppers.
Crime Stoppers pays rewards of up to $1,000 in certain cases. Calls, which may be anonymous, should be made to 63-CRIME (632-7463). |
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