Dashcam video of officer involved chase and shooting on I-95, week of 25 DEC 2017

January 06, 2018, 12:08 PM

Sig2340

This is why when I drive around here I carry a gun where it is accessible.

quote:
http://www.fox5dc.com

Gregory Lee and wrecked getaway vehicle

STAFFORD, Va. - The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has released dash cam footage that was recorded from a deputy’s cruiser during a high-speed pursuit of a 42-year-old man suspected of killing his wife last week.

The video shows a Stafford County deputy driving onto Interstate 95 following behind a Virginia State Police cruiser already in pursuit of the suspect driving a Ford Explorer. During the chase, the SUV slows down and fires several shots at the deputy out of his driver’s side window, causing the deputy to swerve to the right shoulder of the highway.

Officials said one of the bullets fired struck the windshield of the deputy’s vehicle and narrowly missed him. The bullet was found lodged in the driver's side headrest.
photo

The Ford Explorer then speeds off again with both the deputy and the Virginia State Police trooper in pursuit again. About 30 seconds later, the suspect loses control of his SUV and crashes into the right guardrail of the roadway, flipping over onto its hood.

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Gregory Lee, was found in the crashed SUV with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to officials. He was flown to the hospital where he later died overnight.

uthorities say Lee was suspected of shooting and killing his wife, 36-year-old Melissa Lee, at England Run North Apartments in Fredericksburg earlier that morning. A Virginia State Police trooper spotted Lee's vehicle shortly after the shooting and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, which then sparked the pursuit.

Before the deputy arrived to the chase, police also say Lee fired his weapon at the trooper, which resulted with a bullet going through the windshield of his cruiser and becoming lodged in the driver's seat. The trooper was able to duck away from getting struck and was not injured.

Court records showed Lee was a registered sex offender – convicted of attempted rape back in 1999 in Alexandria. Records also show he was convicted twice of assaulting a law enforcement officer – first in 1996 and then again ten years later along with eluding police, DUI and hit-and-run.

January 06, 2018, 12:17 PM

ulsterman

quote:
a bullet going through the windshield of his cruiser and becoming lodged in the driver's seat

That's got a pucker factor to it.

January 06, 2018, 01:02 PM

rat2306

I was snared in the traffic back-up that day, coming back from NC and visiting my parents for Christmas. Now I understand fully why it happened, and think the loss of perhaps two hours delay was worth it. The LEOs were not injured, and the perp.....

January 06, 2018, 01:10 PM

rexles

I can not believe the number of STUPID people who do not pull over for emergency (cop cars)!

January 06, 2018, 01:58 PM

jsbcody

quote:
Originally posted by rexles:
I can not believe the number of STUPID people who do not pull over for emergency (cop cars)!

Yeah, that is a rule in law enforcement: while on an emergency run(lights and sirens)the more cars that get out of your way as you are responding, the more likely it is false alarm/call. The more vehicles that get in your way, the more likely it is a for real emergency.

January 06, 2018, 05:57 PM

YooperSigs

The cops showed proper tactics after the crash by not rushing up to the suspects vehicle. There is an actual thing called "post pursuit syndrome" where the stress of the chase overrides your judgment, causing you to want rush up to the suspect vehicle and lay hands on your suspect.

January 06, 2018, 06:05 PM

synthplayer

quote:
Gregory Lee

January 06, 2018, 06:24 PM

alreadydead

we spent $$$ to helicopter out that POS

January 06, 2018, 07:49 PM

mark_a

Happy to see that Deputy get out of his car with a proper weapon. I think our troopers are still issued G31's which isn't bad but a long gun is so much better...

January 06, 2018, 07:56 PM

Sig2340

I heard on the news the cause of the rollover crash was the driver shot himself in the head.

So he was basically dead before he hit the bridge abutment.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

January 06, 2018, 08:38 PM

vthoky

I had to wonder, did he shoot himself before or after the crash?

January 06, 2018, 10:02 PM

striperkid

......and this is one of the reasons why I have a dash cam in my vehicle.

January 06, 2018, 10:13 PM

newtoSig765

quote:
Originally posted by rexles:
I can not believe the number of STUPID people who do not pull over for emergency (cop cars)!

That bothered me, too. More cop cars should be equipped with push bars.

January 06, 2018, 10:30 PM

Mech

Did the Virginia State Police cruiser have pieces of its rear bumper hanging off of the vehicle? I couldn't tell if it was lighting of the windshield or if the cruiser had already sustained damage prior to the beginning of the video.

January 06, 2018, 10:39 PM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by Mech:
Did the Virginia State Police cruiser have pieces of its rear bumper hanging off of the vehicle? I couldn't tell if it was lighting of the windshield or if the cruiser had already sustained damage prior to the beginning of the video.

It looked to be damaged sometime before the video started. You can see the piece hanging off when the VSP car first enters view.

Later, when they stopped, you can see that the rear bumper/undercarriage has a piece hanging off and some noticeable damage.

January 07, 2018, 09:07 AM

Bulldog7972

quote:
Originally posted by rexles:
I can not believe the number of STUPID people who do not pull over for emergency (cop cars)!

I can't speak for the Fire Departments but not pulling over for Police Cars with their lights and sirens activated is a HUGE problem in my neck of the woods.

January 07, 2018, 09:32 AM

ulsterman

We have a problem with that here. Especially following fire trucks to a fire. A couple of times, they've blocked the road behind the trucks and police cars after a chase and worked their way thru the line. Handing out tickets.

January 07, 2018, 09:47 AM

nhracecraft

Following fire trucks....Can you expand on the issue here?

January 07, 2018, 10:14 AM

DBS

quote:
Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Following fire trucks....Can you expand on the issue here?

I've witnessed what I think you're asking about.
Civilians drop in behind emergency vehicles and speed along behind them.

And I've seen a ladder truck pull sideways across the freeway once it reached the accident site so that troopers could come and ticket the trapped offenders.

January 07, 2018, 11:02 AM

parallel

quote:
Originally posted by Sig2340:
I heard on the news the cause of the rollover crash was the driver shot himself in the head.

So he was basically dead before he hit the bridge abutment.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Not according to the article in the link.

quote:
"The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Gregory Lee, was found in the crashed SUV with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to officials. He was flown to the hospital where he later died overnight ."