PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — A police officer is recovering in the hospital after the driver of a stolen car drove directly toward him, resulting in the officer being struck Thursday night in Woodbridge.
At 10:06 p.m., officers with the Prince William County Police Department responded to a 7-Eleven, located on Darbydale Avenue off of Minnieville Road, to investigate a report of a stolen vehicle. Just before 11 p.m., an officer located the stolen vehicle with someone inside on Oust Lane, off of Dale Boulevard. The officer then attempted to make contact with the driver.
As the officer was at the driver's side window, the driver sped away and made a U-turn. The driver then drove the vehicle directly toward the officer at a high rate of speed, the officer then fired their handgun before the officer was struck by the suspect vehicle. The driver then lost control of the vehicle and crashed a short distance away before running away.
Police said the officer sustained serious injuries from the incident and is being treated at an area hospital for a significant head injury from impacting the road after being hit. Police say the officer's condition continues to improve and he is expected to make a full recovery.
During an extensive search of the area, around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, the suspect was located and detained in the area of Dale Boulevard and Princedale Drive by investigators. According to the police department, the suspect did not appear to have sustained injuries from the gunfire during the encounter with the officer.
Police later identified the man arrested as 18-year-old Valmiki Deo Chandler of Woodbridge. Chandler is being held without bond on charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated malicious wounding, felony hit and run, felony eluding and felony grand larceny auto theft.
There was no answer Friday at Chandler’s home on Eastlawn Ave, but neighbors tell WUSA9 that his brother, Lutchman Chandler, was involved in a notorious carjacking 15 years ago, when Lutchman was living in the same home and almost the same age as Valmiki.
Lutchman, 19, kidnapped Bobbi Bosworth, 61, at the old Springfield Mall. Using a fake gun, he and Keith Baskerville, 19, forced Bosworth to buy them beer at a convenience store, and drove down I-95 and crashed her car into a tree in Prince William County. Both the kidnapping victim and Lutchman Chandler were killed. Baskerville was badly hurt, but was charged with felony murder in Bosworth's death.
Valmiki Chandler is locked up in the jail without bond and expected in court on Monday.
The officer, who has not been identified, has been placed on administrative leave.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.