THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, September 12, 1995            TAG: 9509120259
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK                            LENGTH: Medium:   74 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** A story Sept. 12 in the MetroNews section, and a column that appeared Sept. 14 in the Suffolk Sun and Sept. 17 in the Chesapeake Clipper, said incorrectly that a Chesapeake man, who was apprehended in Suffolk after a high-speed police chase, is a suspect in the armed robbery of a Chesapeake pizza restaurant. Chesapeake police said Monday that James M. Morris is a suspect in the strong-arm robbery of a Chesapeake service station but that no charge had been placed against Morris in connection with that incident. Correction published Tuesday, September 19, 1995 on page A2 of THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT. ***************************************************************** DRIVER RAMS 2 POLICE CARS, THEN SETS HIS OWN AFIRE; IS SUSPECTED IN ROBBERY

An armed robbery suspect led police on a chase early Monday and rammed into two police cars before wrecking his vehicle, then starting a fire inside before officers could pull him out.

The suspect - identified by police as James M. Morris, 30, of the 3100 block of Bruno Drive, Chesapeake - was flown by Nightingale helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. He was in stable condition Monday afternoon in the hospital's neuro-intensive care unit.

The three-city chase began after an armed robbery at a Domino's Pizza in Chesapeake. The man was thought to be one of four people involved in the robbery. The chase went from the Chesapeake pizza store along Route 17, into Portsmouth and then to Suffolk.

Suffolk police gave this account:

Morris, driving on the wrong side of U.S. Route 17 in northern Suffolk, lost control of his 1976 Ford Mustang when he tried to turn left onto Shoulders Hill Road. His vehicle rammed into the side of a Portsmouth police car that had pulled in front of him, then struck a fence at George and Steve's Steak House and sped away.

Suffolk officers joined the chase as it continued on Nansemond Parkway, Wilroy and Constance roads to Holland Road. Morris, heading west on the wrong side of the road, was chased at times by up to 10 police cars.

Officer W.J. Sanker joined the pursuit in the Oak Grove section of Suffolk, driving ahead of the suspect, now on the correct side of the road, to block his progress.

Several times, Morris sped up and nearly hit Sanker's vehicle, swerving at him when they rode side by side on the otherwise deserted four-lane, divided highway. After passing Holland, Sanker pulled ahead and Morris rammed into the back of the patrol car as they neared several westbound tractor-trailers.

Just past Leafwood Road, Morris swerved left into the median. His car hit a ditch and went airborne, then rolled over twice, landing on its roof in the eastbound lanes.

Morris was unconscious near the back window as gas and smoke poured from the car, and officers tried, unsuccessfully, to break a window with batons to reach him.

Then Morris revived and lit two disposable cigarette lighters, starting a fire by holding the flame up to the cloth headliner, some clothes and paper.

Finally, several officers broke a window with a tire iron as Sanker sprayed his fire extinguisher inside, obscuring their vision. They grabbed one of Morris' legs and pulled him out - kicking - and dragged him away from the vehicle.

Suffolk police have warrants against Morris for attempted capital murder and other charges, including reckless driving, driving on a revoked operator's license and attempting to elude a police officer.

KEYWORDS: POLICE CHASE ACCIDENT TRAFFIC ROBBERY INJURIES FIRE by CNB