At 4:08 p.m. Friday (Dec 2., 2022), a Virginia State Police Trooper observed a 2021 Mazda CX-30 SUV speeding as it traveled south on Interstate 295 in Henrico County, Virginia. The trooper initiated a traffic stop, and the SUV pulled off onto the shoulder at the 37-mile marker. The traffic stop was for 97 mph in the 70-posted zone.
The trooper approached the SUV on the passenger side. The driver was non-compliant with the trooper’s requests according to police. During the course of the traffic stop, the SUV sped off at a high rate of speed, which caused the passenger side door to close on the trooper. Caught in the door, the trooper was dragged approximately 3 miles as the SUV reached speeds of up to 115 mph as it continued south on I-295. The SUV struck two southbound tractor-trailers and then crashed near the Creighton Road exit. The driver fled the scene on foot.
A search perimeter was immediately established and search efforts were underway with the assistance of Henrico County Police and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. At approximately 6:18 p.m., the male suspect was apprehended with the assistance of Henrico County Police near Cold Harbor Road.
A handgun was recovered from inside the SUV officials said.
The trooper was treated for minor, non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver, Milton Jermaine Lewis, 38, of Delaware, was charged with reckless driving by speeding, felony eluding of a police officer, having a concealed weapon, altering a serial number on a firearm, felony assault of a law enforcement officer, abduction, attempted capital murder, failure to maintain control of a vehicle, no seatbelt, felony hit and run.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Lewis was out on Supervised Release. The Delaware Department of Correction has informed us that the court record that appeared online was not an updated record. DOC has asked VineLink to update the record. DOC tells FSU that Lewis was previously on Supervised Release but was not at the time of the Virginia incident.
