Man Pleads Guilty to Eluding State Trooper at Triple-Digit Speeds on Interstate in 2024
NORFOLK, Va. — Trayshawn Parell-Elmon Benson, 22, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, March 11, to felony eluding after he sped away at triple-digit speeds from a state police trooper who attempted to pull him over on the highway between Norfolk and Portsmouth last year.
Around 11 p.m. on Aug. 21, 2024, a Virginia State Police trooper parked on Interstate 264 near Military Highway saw a Honda Civic, driven by Mr. Benson, speeding westbound going 86 mph in a 55-mph zone. When the trooper turned on his patrol car’s lights and sirens to pull Mr. Benson over, Mr. Benson ignored the trooper and accelerated to speeds up to 130 mph. The trooper pursued Mr. Benson as Mr. Benson continued eluding and speeding on and off the highway, through the Downtown Tunnel to Portsmouth, and back to Norfolk. Mr. Benson ran several red lights and stop signs throughout the pursuit.
The trooper had to end the pursuit due to mechanical trouble with his vehicle, so another state trooper went to the registered address of the Honda Civic in Virginia Beach. There, the Civic was parked outside with its lights still on, and the hood of the vehicle was hot to the touch. After the owner of the vehicle answered the door and denied any involvement, Mr. Benson eventually came outside to speak to police. Mr. Benson admitted to driving the Civic after being read his Miranda rights, he was taken into custody, and he was charged with felony eluding as well as misdemeanor reckless driving and driving without a valid license.
On March 11, Mr. Benson entered an agreement to plead guilty to felony eluding in exchange for the Commonwealth setting aside his other charges. Judge David W. Lannetti accepted Mr. Benson’s plea agreement and set his sentencing hearing on June 13. There is no agreement to Mr. Benson’s sentence.
“Mr. Benson had no license and should not have been driving. Had he pulled over, he would have been in misdemeanor trouble. Because he eluded the troopers — doing over 130 miles per hour and almost ensuring that any crash he had would be fatal for him or the other driver — Mr. Benson has now put himself in a position where he has pleaded guilty to a felony,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “No matter what the situation, speeding away from the police will make it worse, and at sentencing we will seek a sanction against Mr. Benson that fits the danger in which he put himself, the trooper, and the public.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Victoria T. Vaccaro is prosecuting Mr. Benson’s case, and Virginia State Police Trooper Kyle Rose led the investigation.
###