Dramatic Pursuit in Front Royal Ends in Shenandoah River Crash

Local schools were on soft lockdown, community was advised to shelter in place during the search.

On a seemingly ordinary Friday morning at a Front Royal 7-Eleven, the unexpected happened. A concerned female dashed into the convenience store, urgently requesting police intervention against threats from Micheal Foltz, igniting a series of events that would culminate in a high-speed chase and a vehicle’s plunge into the Shenandoah River.

According to the store clerk, the incident began when the woman informed them that Foltz, who might have been wanted for another case, was waiting in a Silver Chevy Equinox nearby. Soon after, Foltz entered the store in search of the woman, left shortly without finding her, and moved his car to the neighboring BP Gas Station. It was then that Front Royal police, having been alerted, spotted the suspect and initiated the pursuit.

The chase cut a winding path through Front Royal, from Royal Village to the Old Virginia Plant Area, before a dramatic finale at a campground. Attempting a desperate escape, Foltz drove his car into the South Fork of The Shenandoah River. Despite the crash, he managed to scramble out and tried to flee across the river, evading officers’ immediate line of sight.

This escape attempt and the subsequent search prompted significant concern among local authorities. Skyline High School, Skyline Middle School, and Diversified Minds were all put on soft lockdown. Residents in the vicinity received a RAVE alert, advising them to remain indoors and take shelter. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office was notified and promptly dispatched units to assist in the search. Their collaborative efforts paid off; after setting up a perimeter, Foltz was located and apprehended.

Micheal Foltz was already wanted in Page County for Aggravated Malicious Wounding. Following this incident, he faces a slew of additional charges, including Felony Destruction of Property, Felony Eluding, Grand Larceny, Simple Assault/Battery, and driving without an operator’s license.

The Front Royal Police Department has extended its gratitude to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for their swift assistance. They are now urging anyone with further details about the incident to come forward and reach out to Corporal Kevin Orndorff.