PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A police pursuit in Chesapeake resulted in a crash and the suspect being taken into custody... along with two other drivers for DUI after they allegedly drove through the crash scene and nearly hit responding troopers.
Virginia State Police (VSP) said it all began early Sunday morning around 1:20 a.m. when troopers attempted to stop a 2019 Nissan Altima for speeding on Interstate 64 near mile marker 296 in Chesapeake. Troopers said the Altima refused to stop and a pursuit began.
The Altima eventually exited on Military Highway and after running a red light at Victory Boulevard and Greenwood Drive in Portsmouth, crashed into a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox.
The driver of the Equinox was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the driver of the Altima, 47-year-old Phillip Gassaway II, was arrested and charged with failure to maintain control, failure to carry identification, reckless driving, eluding law enforcement, driving on a suspended license, and aggressive driving. He was also wanted for a 2019 parole violation.
Police said as they worked the crash scene, a 2012 Dodge Ram drove through it, nearly hitting troopers in the process. The driver, 35-year-old Christian Edmonds of Glen Allen, was reportedly uncooperative and after further investigation arrested for DUI.
As Edmonds was taken into custody and walked to a VSP vehicle, another vehicle, this time a BMW, drove through the original crash scene and again nearly hit a state trooper, along with Edmonds.
The driver of the BMW, 29-year-old Keshayla Griffin of Chesapeake, was stopped at the scene and also ultimately arrested for DUI.
