PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. — A high-speed police chase ended in a dramatic airborne crash at a Prince George County gas station on Tuesday, with the entire incident captured on surveillance video.
The chase began on I-95 northbound when a Virginia State Police (VSP) trooper attempted to pull over a BMW SUV for failure to maintain its lane. Instead of stopping, the driver fled, reaching speeds over 100 mph, according to police.
Harchernjit Bhutta, the gas station owner, described the moment the chase came to an end at his business.
"I'm sitting in my office and I heard the noise, like a 'DOHT!' and I say maybe something happen and then my cashier call me, 'Hey, boss. Pretty bad accident outside,'" Bhutta said. "When I come out lot of police here."
Caught on Camera: Police chase ends with dramatic airborne crash at Virginia gas station
Surveillance footage from the gas station shows the speeding SUV hopping a curb, hitting a bump in the grass before going airborne and slamming into two parked cars in the parking lot. The vehicle ultimately landed on its roof.
Police say they had unsuccessfully attempted to use spike strips to slow the vehicle during the pursuit.
The chase, which began near Mile Marker 18 on I-95, ended approximately 23 miles later when the vehicle exited the highway and crashed at the gas station located just off the Courtland Road exit.
The video shows police arriving 15 seconds after the crash with weapons drawn as the driver and two passengers climbed out of the wrecked SUV and were taken into custody.
All three occupants were treated for minor injuries, according to police.
Bhutta noted that no one was in the two parked cars that were struck, but said it was pure luck that no one else was injured. He pointed out how close the SUV came to hitting a truck that a man was working on. Fortunately, the man was inside the gas station when the crash occurred.
The surveillance video shows the man exiting his truck and moving away as police approached the scene.
The driver, 22-year-old Javeir Domani Williams, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was arrested and taken to Sussex County Jail. He was charged with felony eluding and driving with a suspended license.
A spokesperson for the Prince George County said their officers were not involved in the pursuit and were not notified by VSP about it.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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