ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 24, 1996 TAG: 9611250191
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY STAFF WRITER
A 15-year-old Roanoke boy was arrested Saturday morning after leading Community Oriented Policing Effort officers on a chase, and charged with attempted capital murder of a police officer.
The boy, whom police would not identify because of his age, was waiting in a car at a red light at Third Street and Fairfax Avenue Northwest, about 9 a.m., when two COPE officers, also stopped at the light, recognized him. The car apparently belonged to a family member. Roanoke Police Maj. J.L. Viar said the officers knew that the boy was not old enough to drive, and when they made eye contact, he fled.
Police then gave this account: The boy drove west on Patton Avenue, "in a reckless manner gaining speed in an attempt to elude the officer," and lost control at Fifth Street and Madison Avenue, crashing into a brick wall and telephone pole. One of the officers then approached the driver's-side door and ordered the boy out of the car. The officer said the boy laughed at him and started to back the car up. The officer drew his weapon and pointed it at the driver, who continued to back out. The barrel of the gun scraped on the car as the officer got out of the way.
At that point the officer "would have been justified to shoot [the driver]," Viar said. But instead the officer moved around the COPE van to get out of the way.
Police said the officers then pursued the boy to Eighth Street, where he wrecked the car again. The teen was arrested a short time later, after leading police on a foot chase.
The boy was taken to Coyner Springs Detention Center, but police would not comment Saturday night on whether or not they were still holding him.
He will be arraigned Monday for the attempted-murder charge, eluding police and driving without an operator's license.
No one was injured during the incident.
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