Austinville man being held on multiple charges after chase

A Wythe County man faces multiple charges, to include assault on a police officer, after he fled from Virginia State Police early Monday (Nov. 16).

Joshua D. Brown, 37, of Austinville, Va., is being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail on three felony counts of assault on a police officer, two felony counts of hit and run, one felony count of eluding police, two felony counts of destruction of property, one count of possession of a firearm while in possession of Schedule I/II narcotics, one count of possession of Schedule II narcotics, one misdemeanor count of destruction of property, and for driving on a revoked license. Brown also had outstanding arrest warrants issued by the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident began at approximately 7:20 a.m. Monday when Virginia State Police responded to a suspicious vehicle at a truck stop off Exit 84 in Wythe County. Upon arriving, troopers approached the couple seated inside the Ford Taurus to engage them in conversation. Approximately five minutes into the conversation, the trooper requested the male driver – Brown – to exit his vehicle. Brown refused, put the vehicle in drive and narrowly missed running over a trooper standing in front of his vehicle. Brown then rammed the two troopers’ patrol vehicles in order to flee the parking lot.

A pursuit was initiated and ended when the Ford Taurus came to the end of a driveway in the 600 block of Major Grahams Road. Brown then fled the scene on foot. The 37-year-old female passenger from Max Meadows, Va., was taken into custody at the scene and without incident.

Wythe County Sheriff’s Office, a Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office K9 Team, and Virginia State Police Aviation, Tactical Team and K9 Team searched the immediate area for Brown. By 8:15 a.m., Brown was apprehended in a field adjacent to the driveway without further incident.

No troopers involved in the incident were injured.

From Virginia State Police