Man Convicted of Felony Eluding After Evading Norfolk Police Traffic Stop in 2023
NORFOLK, Va. – Bobby Bernard Williams, 38, was convicted at a bench trial on Tuesday of felony eluding for speeding away from police and through a school zone after investigators attempted to pull him over last year.
On July 13, multiple Norfolk Police units were surveilling a house on Bunsen Court and a Honda Accord known to have been associated with a person who was wanted for outstanding felony warrants. That afternoon, Mr. Williams left the house, got into the Honda Accord, and backed out of the driveway. Investigators in one of the unmarked police vehicles parked outside the house followed Mr. Williams down Chesapeake Boulevard, turned on their lights and sirens, and attempted to pull Mr. Williams over near a stoplight at Five Points. Instead of stopping at the red light, Mr. Williams cut through the parking lot of a nearby store and sped through a school zone where summer school children had been crossing the street. The investigators pursued Mr. Williams until they reached the school zone then terminated their pursuit for the pedestrians’ safety. Mr. Williams soon returned to the house, and other officers who were still parked outside arrested him. Mr. Williams was not the person who was wanted by police at the time, but because he dangerously fled the traffic stop, he was charged with felony eluding.
Mr. Williams pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and chose to be tried by a judge. Following his bench trial, Judge Joseph C. Lindsey found Mr. Williams guilty of felony eluding and set his sentencing date for Aug. 30.
“For the safety of everyone involved, it is crucial that people stop when the police order them to do so,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “Eluding the police is a felony that endangers everyone, and we work every day to hold people accountable for this dangerous behavior.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney James S. Strickland is prosecuting Mr. Williams’ case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detectives Matt A. Dowell, James L. Luttrell, and Donald W. Todd led the investigation.
###