A high-speed chase that started in Virginia Beach and ended in Norfolk resulted in no serious injuries but raised concerns for those of us who know about the dangers to the public presented by police chases.
The chase, on Sept. 25, started when Virignia Beach police tried to pull James D. Hall over on Diamond Springs Road because his license plates didn’t match the pickup truck he was driving, the Virginian-Pilot reported.
Hall ended up on Interstate 264 – with Virginia Beach and Virginia State Police in pursuit – before driving into downtown Norfolk, getting off at City Hall Avenue at rush hour around 5:30 p.m., according to WVEC-TV.
Hall ended up back on I-264, this time headed east back toward Virginia Beach. He crashed into a Jersey barrier near the Interstate 64 interchange and was arrested shortly afterwards.
“High speed police car operations and high speed pursuits by police have been associated with many devastating injury and wrongful death claims – not by the alleged criminals but by innocent victims,” My colleague Rick Shapiro wrote in April 2009 after a member of the public was killed during a high-speed chase in Charlotte, N.C.
That victim, Shatona Evette Robinson, was driving her 1991 Ford Escort when it was hit by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer going 90 miles an hour without lights or siren.
I support our police officers who have the difficult job of balancing law enforcement with public safety. But I ask that they keep the safety of members of the public in mind when involved in high-speed pursuits.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper,Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
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