VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Jayden Wallace, 23, made his first appearance in court Thursday, facing several charges in connection with a high-speed chase that injured a Virginia State Police trooper.
Wallace has been charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors — the two most serious charges being hit-and-run causing injury and reckless endangerment for continuing to drive more than 20 mph over the speed limit.
State police initially reported a trooper clocked Wallace’s Dodge Charger on Interstate 264 eastbound at 125 mph. However, court documents say that he got up to 130 mph at one point.
The chase led to Birdneck Road and then onto Americus Avenue, which is a dead end. The trooper thought she had Wallace boxed in and got out of her patrol car. That’s when Wallace hit the gas, striking the trooper as he got away. She was hurt and hospitalized, but is expected to recover.
Wallace has been a member of the Navy for more than two years and is a fire controlman 3rd Class. The Navy said they are cooperating with the state police investigation.
Wallace told Judge Wanda Cooper he will hire his own attorney. His next court date is Dec. 5.