Virginia Police Say Dispatcher Was ‘Mistaken'; Vehicle in Deadly Pursuit Not Stolen

A spokesperson for police told News4 that neither the Dodge Charger or its tags matched a reported stolen vehicle and “the dispatcher was mistaken” in relaying that information to the trooper.

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A Virginia State Police spokesperson said a dispatcher mistakenly told a trooper the car he was pursuing may have been stolen. The pursuit ended in a crash that killed two people early Sunday.

A trooper attempted to pull over a Dodge Charger traveling 72 mph in a 55 mph zone on Interstate 495 near Eisenhower Avenue about 3:45 a.m. police said. The driver sped away instead, and the trooper pursued.

In a recording of police dispatch audio, the pursuing trooper can be heard saying, "Reason for the stop, speeding. And now we know that... might be a stolen auto."

A spokesperson for police told News4 that neither the Dodge Charger or its tags matched a reported stolen vehicle and “the dispatcher was mistaken” in relaying that information to the trooper.

The Dodge was driven south on Interstate 95 and took Exit 160 to Route 123 but went off the right side of the ramp, struck the jersey wall and hit the bottom of the I-95 express lanes overpass where it caught fire, police said.

Troopers pulled the driver and a passenger from the car, but neither survived, police said. The victims were identified as Curtis Armstead Jr., 24, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Miquel D. Jenkins, 23, also of Fredericksburg, respectively.

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