A 21-year-old Stafford man attempted to flee an Animal Control Officer, only to end up in the waiting arms of a Traffic Safety Officer.

On November 10th at approximately 1:12 p.m. Deputy K.L. Busch of Animal Control was traveling on Plantation Road when a vehicle passed her at a high rate of speed using the turn lane. Deputy Busch followed the vehicle onto Truslow Road and eventually Enon Road in an attempt to find a safe place to conduct a traffic stop. Before she could activate her emergency equipment, the vehicle crossed the double yellow line and rapidly accelerated past the vehicle in front of it. Deputy Busch would turn on her emergency equipment and inform nearby deputies of the pursuit.

Down the twisty and turny roadway of Enon Road, the suspect vehicle would travel over 70 MPH, cross the double yellow line twice to pass another vehicle, and nearly cause two head on collisions. Just as the suspect must have thought he was successfully eluding Deputy Busch, unbeknownst to him, Deputy R.A. Weatherholtz of the Traffic Safety Unit was directly in front. As the suspect vehicle began tailgating his unmarked vehicle, Deputy Weatherholtz drastically lowered his speeds and turned on his emergency equipment at the Porter Lane intersection. The suspect vehicle struck Deputy Weatherholtz’s vehicle before coming to a stop. While the driver attempted to go around Deputy Weatherholtz’s vehicle, he quickly changed his mind after being challenged by both Deputy Weatherholtz and Deputy Busch.

The driver, Matthew Sturge, was taken into custody without further incident. Sturge had a suspended license and advised his reckless driving behavior was because he had “somewhere to be”. The only place he was heading now was Rappahannock Regional Jail.

Sturge was charged with felony eluding, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.