HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — A suspect accused of stealing from a Dollar General in Martinsville is now facing multiple charges after fleeing from deputies and crashing during a pursuit Sunday night.
According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on October 12, when deputies received a report of larceny at a local Dollar General. Later that evening, around 9:30 p.m., deputies spotted a vehicle matching the suspect’s description and attempted a traffic stop.
Authorities identified the driver as 37-year-old Darris Simmons, whose clothing and appearance matched the Dollar General theft suspect. When deputies ordered him to exit the vehicle, Simmons refused, grabbed a deputy’s hand to prevent entry, and then sped away.
Deputies pursued Simmons along Memorial Boulevard, down Fayette Street, and into the Fieldale community. The chase ended when officers executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) at the intersection of Carver Road and Farmview Drive, causing the suspect’s vehicle to roll onto its side.
Simmons was taken into custody without further incident and faces numerous charges, including assault on law enforcement, obstruction of justice, felony eluding police, reckless driving, and shoplifting.
He is currently being held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center without bond.
