THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 15, 1996 TAG: 9606150363
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 39 lines
A high-speed pursuit that began when a Norfolk man allegedly swiped a woman's purse in the parking lot at Sam's Club off Battlefield Boulevard in Chesapeake ended with the man being charged by Norfolk, Chesapeake and state police.
The Friday morning chase began when the suspect took the purse of a Chesapeake woman, state police spokeswoman Tammy Van Dame said. The purse contained money to be used for an elementary school end-of-the-year party.
The suspect, who was driving a 1993 Nissan pickup, drove onto I-64 West. A person who witnessed the incident reported the vehicle to state police, who began chasing the truck about 9:40 a.m. near the Tidewater Drive exit, Van Dame said.
The pursuit continued west to Bay Avenue, where the man looped around and headed east. He exited onto Tidewater Drive North before stopping in East Glen Road area.
The suspect tried to run away, but state and Norfolk police caught him a few minutes later, Van Dame said.
Van Dame said speeds during the pursuit were high but did not reach the ``excessive'' range of more than 100 mph. No injuries or damage to vehicles occurred.
``It was an example of a textbook pursuit,'' Van Dame said.
The man, Jorge Delacruz, 28, faced several charges in Friday's incident in addition to charges for several unrelated crimes.
As a result of Friday's incident, state police charged him with driving to elude and being a habitual offender. He also was charged with unauthorized use of the truck in Norfolk and robbery in Chesapeake.
In addition, he was charged with robbery and using a firearm in Hampton and two charges of robbery in Virginia Beach.
Delacruz, of the 600 block of Burksdale Road in Norfolk, was being held in the Norfolk City Jail.
KEYWORDS: POLICE CHASE ARREST ROBBERY by CNB