A Norfolk man, Andre Joseph Taylor, 33, will spend one year in prison after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle. The incident unfolded last September after Taylor fled from an officer attempting a traffic stop.
The trouble began on September 7, when a rental car was reported stolen from near 35th Street and Colley Avenue. The vehicle’s owner had left it running and unattended. The next day, around 2 p.m., an officer spotted the car being driven eastbound on Brambleton Avenue. Running the vehicle’s information, the officer confirmed it was stolen and activated his lights and siren.
Instead of pulling over, Taylor sped off, leading police through residential neighborhoods at speeds up to 55 mph. He drove the wrong way on a one-way street, endangering other drivers and pedestrians. The chase ended when Taylor lost control and rolled the vehicle into a shed outside a home on Reservoir Crescent.
Taylor was charged with felony eluding and grand theft auto. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to felony eluding. Under the plea agreement, Taylor will serve one year in prison, with an additional year suspended, contingent on good behavior for two years. He will also lose his driver’s license for one year following his release.
Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. accepted the plea deal and emphasized the seriousness of Taylor’s reckless actions.
“While it is impossible to know whether Mr. Taylor stole this car, we know for sure that he eluded the police in a dangerous and unnecessary way,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “All Mr. Taylor had to do was stop, and whatever he was facing, it would have been better than trying to flee. We will continue to hold accountable the people who endanger themselves and others by eluding.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys A. Robinson Winn and Adam L. Lafon handled the case, while Detective Mark R. Lowery led the investigation.