CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Clay Holley was sitting in his driveway at his Border Road home when he says a suspect accused of shooting at police, then stealing a police vehicle, barreled through his front lawn in a stolen cruiser.
“I was shocked, very shocked,” Holley said.
Holley saw the patrol car speeding down the road and was just a few feet away when it crashed in front of his home.
“I walked in front of my car, and I was like, ‘What the heck is going on?’ You know?” Holley said.
Chesapeake Police said Isaac Sampson, 48, stole the police car and led officers on a minute-long chase from the Campostella Crossing shopping center to Holley’s home a couple blocks away.
Sampson crashed through Holley’s fence and hit a firepit and tree on his front lawn. Bricks were scattered across the yard. Holley said the tree stopped the car.
Police say Sampson wrecked the police cruiser.
In a jailhouse interview Wednesday, he said he was disoriented after being tased by police.
"It was fuzzy," Sampson said. "I went blank."
Holley said Sampson was surrounded by police when he came out of the car and was taken into custody.
“The guy got out of the car and was saying some things,” Holley said. “I was like, ‘Not here.’ They had their guns drawed. Police had their guns drawed.”
Minutes before the crash, police say Sampson led officers on a short police chase after allegedly firing three shots at an officer as he was resisting arrest.
Frederick Williams, who works as a barber in the Campostella Crossing shopping center was just getting off work.
“That’s when I seen the police cars come that way,” said Williams. “Then I heard a crash.”
It all started just before 7 p.m. Tuesday. Police say they got a complaint about an armed man making threats.
Court documents revealed Sampson and his girlfriend got into a fight at her home on Farmer Lane.
The girlfriend claims Sampson said, “I got something for you,” then pointed a handgun at her and threatened to shoot her.
“We say a lot of things in the heat of the moment but she know I’m not going to hurt her,” Sampson said. “I never physically caused any harm to her.”
Sampson said his girlfriend called 911.
When police tried to arrest him, Sampson said he resisted because he didn’t understand why he was in trouble.
Police say they arrested the 48-year old after he refused to identify himself. Investigators said the officer tased Sampson after he resisted arrest. That’s when Sampson said he pulled out his gun and fired it, but claims he did not point it at that officer.
Sampson apologized from jail and said he didn't mean to hurt anyone.
"I did not try to hurt or shoot at the officer," Sampson said. "I apologize to him, his family, but my intention was never to shoot at him."
After he was tased, police say Sampson got into the police vehicle and started driving away as other officers arrived on scene.
“I wanted to get away,” Sampson said. “I thought I was getting away from the scene.”
The other officers chased after the stolen police vehicle for about two blocks down Border Road until the pursuit ended with Sampson crashing the police cruiser.
Police estimate the property damage at Holley’s home to be more than $1,000.
Police say no officers were hurt during the incident.
Sampson is facing several felony charges, including attempted aggravated murder of an officer.
“I never set out to hurt nobody and if anybody feel like I did, I apologize,” said Sampson. “I’m truly remorseful for what happened.”
