Man Sentenced to 1 ½ Years for Felony Eluding, Being Felon in Possession of Gun After Fleeing From Police Attempting Traffic Stop

NORFOLK, Va. — Donyae Lee Lewis, 39, was sentenced to serve one and a half years in prison after he pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony eluding and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon when he refused earlier this year to pull over for police and, while fleeing, threw a gun out of the car he was driving.

On July 5, Norfolk Police patrol officers saw Mr. Lewis speeding down Church Street and followed Mr. Lewis while tracking his speed. The officers saw Mr. Lewis entering the Ghent area and speeding on 18^th Street, turning on Monticello Avenue, and making an unsafe lane change while abruptly turning onto 21^st Street. The officers turned on their lights and sirens to pull Mr. Lewis over, but Mr. Lewis continued driving down West 21^st Street.

As Mr. Lewis turned onto Omohundro Avenue, he threw a handgun out of the driver’s window. The officers briefly stopped to pick up the gun, then they continued pursuing Mr. Lewis. Mr. Lewis then sped through two red lights, almost causing an accident, and the officers had to abandon the pursuit for safety reasons. Minutes later, another officer in an unmarked vehicle spotted Mr. Lewis’ car and followed Mr. Lewis while waiting for backup. Mr. Lewis finally stopped driving when multiple police cars closed in on him in the 1300 block of West 26^th Street.

On Wednesday, Mr. Lewis entered an agreement to plead guilty to felony eluding and being a felon in possession of a firearm and serve one year and six months in prison with another six years and six months suspended on the conditions that he be of uniform good behavior and comply with probation for three years following his release. In exchange for Mr. Lewis’ guilty pleas, the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss two additional misdemeanor charges. Judge Mary Jane Hall accepted Mr. Lewis’ plea agreement sentenced him per the agreement. The active portion of Mr. Lewis’ sentence was at the midpoint of his state sentencing guidelines.

“Mr. Lewis never should have possessed a gun, and he will serve time for that. He then made his sentence longer when he fled,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We will continue to hold accountable people who possess guns illegally and who endanger the lives of others on the road.”

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney W. Joshua Holder prosecuted Mr. Lewis’ case, and Norfolk Police Officer Alexander W. Bender led the investigation.

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