PORTSMOUTH, Va. – A 38-year-old man was killed after crashing his vehicle while fleeing from Virginia State Police early Tuesday.
Around 1:25 a.m., a Virginia State Police Trooper on I-64, east of the High Rise Bridge, made a traffic stop on a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe, after suspecting the driver of driving under the influence.
As the trooper approached the vehicle, police say the driver then sped off.
The trooper chased the vehicle onto I-264 and into Portsmouth. The driver attempted to exit the interstate at Greenwood Drive at a high rate of speed, but lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree.
The crash caused the driver to become trapped inside of the vehicle as it caught fire.
Troopers rescued the driver, identified as 38-year-old Vondale Jones of Portsmouth, and he was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
State Police say Jones was not wearing his seat belt, and alcohol and speed were contributing factors in the crash.
