Suspect in stolen Charger leads pursuit

By: Dave Thompson | Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: January 01, 2009

A suspect in a stolen Dodge Charger led Altavista, Campbell County and state law enforcement on a game of hide-and-seek for several hours Wednesday evening, officials with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office said.

The bright orange Charger, taken from Altavista Motors, was apparently the second vehicle stolen by the suspect, who arrived at the dealership in a Nissan Maxima stolen from Texas, authorities said.

Investigator Dwayne Wade with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrested Terrence Lamont Sutphin not far from where he abandoned the car, and charged him with the theft of the vehicle and felony eluding police.

The sheriff’s office first received a call around 5 p.m. that the vehicle was traveling south on U.S. 29, near the border with Pittsylvania County, said Lt. W.L. Owen.

After losing the pursuit once, Owen said authorities picked up the chase again near Altavista.

Owen said the chase halted again when an Altavista police officer in pursuit of Sutphin was involved in an accident near the intersection of Mansion Bridge and Riverbend roads near Altavista. No one was injured.

Owen said reports came in that the vehicle had been spotted in the area of Goldy’s Truck Plaza on U.S. 29 near Virginia 24.

Owen said deputies caught up with Sutphin when he bailed from his car on Virginia 24 headed toward Evington, where Sutphin pulled over because of damage to the stolen car.

He ran from the vehicle on foot, but was caught in the same area, after a resident called authorities.

“We located him when we got a call from a subject saying (Sutphin) was knocking on the door,” Wade said.

Owen said he was perplexed at Sutphin’s choice of a vehicle, particularly because the make and color of the car were so recognizable.

“You’re driving around the Dukes of Hazzard car,” Owen said. “You might as well have neon lights on the top of it.”

Wade said Sutphin is being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail in Rustburg without bond. Further charges are pending, he said.