Guilty of misdemeanors, driver now faces felony charges
By Alexandra Bogdanovic
At a preliminary hearing in General District Court, Judge Charles B. Foley found Travis D. Preston guilty of four misdemeanor charges stemming from a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 66.
Foley also determined there was enough probable cause to certify six felony charges — including child endangerment, assault and battery on law enforcement officers, felony eluding and felony destruction of property — filed against Preston in the case to a Fauquier County grand jury, which will meet July 28.
The state troopers who were involved in the pursuit testified last Thursday that Preston, 24, had his infant daughter in the car with him when he engaged them in the pursuit May 7. They also testified that Preston used her as a "shield" when they approached his vehicle with firearms drawn once the chase had ended.
In making his rulings, Foley said that was probably "the most disturbing" aspect of the case.
"That little girl knows nothing, and yet you put her life in danger," Foley told Preston.
Preston, who is from Salem, did not testify on his own behalf during the preliminary hearing.
The commonwealth's case
Trooper Doug Pugh testified that he was "running stationary laser" on I-66 within Fauquier County at approximately 10:45 a.m. May 7 when he encountered a vehicle going 80 mph. The speed limit on the highway is 65 mph.
Pugh said he stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, later identified as Preston.
Pugh said Preston's license was suspended, and the registration did not match the vehicle Preston was driving.
After a brief discussion in which Pugh told Preston the car would have to be towed, the trooper said he went back to his cruiser to write the summonses. Shortly after the wrecker arrived, he said Preston left the scene.
Pugh said he was aware there was an infant in the vehicle and that the little girl was Preston's daughter.
From the stand, Trooper Aaron Stiltner recalled that he heard Pugh's radio transmission and decided to help.
Like Pugh, Stiltner was driving a marked police car with lights and sirens activated. He said he was initially half a mile behind Pugh and Preston. He said he passed them and positioned his cruiser in front of Preston's car in order to execute a "rolling road block."
When he did so, Stiltner said Preston accelerated and rammed his cruiser. Preston also hit Pugh's cruiser twice as the chase continued through a work zone in the westbound lanes according to Stiltner.
After emerging from the work zone, the troopers testified that Preston drove through the median and continued going westbound in the eastbound lanes for approximately one mile before crossing back into the westbound lanes.
Preston finally lost control of his own vehicle, hit a guard rail and went airborne, police said.
According to Paschal, Preston failed to comply with numerous commands to exit the vehicle after the car came to rest. Preston also removed the child from the car seat and positioned her between him and the troopers when they approached the vehicle, Paschal added.
Preston and his daughter were both transported to the hospital by EMS personnel to be checked out. The little girl was unharmed, police said.
Foley found Preston guilty of speeding, driving on a revoked/suspended license, driving with an improper registration and obstruction of justice.
E-mail the reporter: abogdanovic@timespapers.com