BEALETON, Va. — Authorities in Fauquier County were able to catch a man who was trying to avoid being stopped, even while driving speeds over 100 mph, by using a drone early Monday.
A Fauquier County Sheriff's Office deputy was overseeing stationary radar on Catlett Road when he saw a Nissan pass a vehicle over a solid double yellow line. The deputy then started to try catching up to the vehicle, and he observed the driver was not stopping and accelerating to around 100 mph.
A car chase was started after the driver did not comply with stopping for the deputy. The driver was traveling southbound on Catlett Road at speeds between 90 and 125 mph, and passing multiple cars in the opposite lane of travel, passed a tractor-trailer through the intersection at Station Drive, and then ran a red light at Marsh Road.
The driver, later identified as 18-year-old Javon Saunders, of Loudoun County, continued south on Catlett Road until crashing at the intersection of James Madison Highway. He then got out of the car and ran behind two commercial buildings with the deputy continue chasing after him until he was no longer able to be found.
Another deputy arrived to the area and deployed his UAS drone and was able to locate Saunders in the wood line with its thermal imagine camera. After being taken into custody, a Glock handgun was found in the driver's side floorboard in the car.
The sheriff's office has charged Saunders with felony eluding, improper passing, reckless speed (going 125 mph in a 45 mph zone), obstruction of justice, red light violations, failure to wear a seatbelt, no license, and concealed weapon. He also had an existing warrant for arrest from Loudoun County.
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