Video footage taken by a FedEx driver shows a Staunton man crashing and flipping his vehicle on Interstate 64 following a vehicle pursuit with police Monday.
Richard Knight, 38, was arrested and sustained minor injuries in the crash on I-64 westbound near the Ivy exit, according to a news release from the Albemarle County Police Department and U.S. Marshals. Lanes in both directions of the interstate were closed temporarily Monday while officers investigated.
The footage, taken via a dashboard camera by FedEx driver William Barnes, depicts the moments leading up to Knight crashing and flipping his vehicle in the median of I-64, coming to a halt just in front of Barnes.
"We’re taught defensive driving so I slowed down and I thought for sure that the guy had passed, I thought there was no way someone could survive something like that," Barnes said. "Then he got out and started running and I saw an officer running with him and thought I was in a position to help."
Barnes said he and the officer made contact with Knight before more officers arrived at the scene. Afterward Barnes said he returned to his vehicle and left, with the whole incident only slowing his deliveries by around a half-hour.
Knight had several outstanding warrants against him from Staunton, Virginia State Police and Augusta County, police said. Earlier on Monday, the U.S. Marshals and ACPS received information about Knight, who was located on the 900 block of Hilton Heights Road, which is near Walmart and Sam’s Club.
When officers approached, ACPS said that the subject fled in a vehicle, hitting police cars and an officer, according to the news release. The officer did not require treatment.
While traveling southbound on U.S. 29, the subject struck another vehicle. Once on I-64, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the median near the Ivy exit, according to the release. The driver fled on foot after the crash but was ultimately arrested.
Knight was identified as the subject after he was taken into custody, police said. He was charged with carjacking, multiple counts of felony eluding and grand larceny, communicating threats to kill in writing, a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, assault and battery, reckless driving, credit card larceny and failure to register as a sex offender.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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