Suspect Arrested After Stolen Vehicle Pursuit Ends in I-66 Crash

A Front Royal man is facing multiple charges after police say he led officers on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle that ended with a crash along Interstate 66 and a search that lasted several hours.

According to the Front Royal Police Department, officers attempted to stop a green 2012 Nissan Altima at about 3 p.m. on July 9 after learning the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that day.

Police said the driver refused to stop when officers attempted the traffic stop near Villa Avenue and East Sixth Street. The vehicle continued north on North Shenandoah Avenue before entering eastbound Interstate 66, where officers initiated a pursuit.

During the pursuit, investigators said the driver traveled at a high rate of speed and passed multiple vehicles by driving on the highway shoulder, creating a dangerous situation for other motorists.

The pursuit came to an end just before mile marker 12 on Interstate 66 when the Altima left the roadway, entered the wooded median, and crashed.

Police said the driver immediately fled the crash scene on foot. A 33-year-old woman who was riding in the vehicle got out after the crash. She was briefly detained by officers before being transported to Warren Memorial Hospital with injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

Law enforcement agencies from across the region assisted in searching for the driver. The Front Royal Police Department was joined by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police in establishing a perimeter and conducting an extensive search of the area.

Shortly after 6 p.m., deputies with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office located the driver a short distance from the crash site. Police identified him as James Randall Lewis. He was taken into custody without further incident.

James Randall Lewis

Lewis was transported to Warren Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. After receiving medical care, he was released and taken to the RSW Regional Jail.

Lewis has been charged with felony counts of disregarding a law enforcement officer’s signal to stop and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He also faces charges of reckless driving, driving without a license, leaving the scene of an accident, obstruction of justice, passing on the shoulder, unsafe lane change, failing to give proper signals, two counts of failing to obey a highway sign, no front license plate, no state inspection, and suspension of objects that obstruct the driver’s view.

The investigation remains ongoing, and police said additional charges are pending.

The Front Royal Police Department thanked the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police for their assistance in locating and safely apprehending the suspect.