Police chase ends with drug arrest in Martinsville

The Martinsville Police Department arrested a local man on multiple charges stemming from a chase that occurred shortly before 12:30 a.m. this morning.

MPD Officer Eddie Dillard observed a white, 90’s-model Buick being operated with defective equipment on Memorial Boulevard near Lavinder Street.  The suspect vehicle refused to stop and continued traveling on Memorial Boulevard turning right onto Park Street.  The driver, later identified as Fletcher Dernard Millner, continued to elude police, taking the chase to several residential streets and major thoroughfares before traveling on Askin Street and turning left onto DuPont Road in Henry County.

Millner stopped the vehicle and bailed out just below the Martinsville- DuPont Credit Union office and fled on foot.  MPD Officer Dillard was joined by Virginia State Trooper Noah Night who was nearby at the time the incident started; the two officers chased the suspect on foot.

Millner left the transmission of the Buick he was operating in drive causing the vehicle to continue to roll forward.  MPD Officer Richard Pulliam had pulled his police cruiser in front of the Buick when Millner bailed out.  The vehicle rolled forward stopping against the front bumper of MPD Car 14 (Officer Pulliam’s cruiser).  This low speed collision caused only minor cosmetic damage to the front end of the police cruiser and Millner’s Buick.

Millner continued to flee on foot, running between a utility pole and an attached guide wire.  As Officer Eddie Dillard pursued the suspect on foot he hit the guide wire with his left shoulder in a full sprint.  Millner was chased down by VA State Trooper Noah Night and taken to the ground after he reached for his waistband.  After Millner was apprehended a handgun was found underneath him.

Millner was then handcuffed and searched.  The search incident to arrest turned up several individually packaged white rocks believed to be crack cocaine; the material will be sent to the state lab for further analysis.

Officer Eddie Dillard received only minor injuries when he collided with the utility pole guide wire; he will return to work as scheduled. There was no property damage other than the minor cosmetic damage to the front end of the white Buick LeSabre driven by Millner and to the police cruiser driven by MPD Officer Richard Pulliam.  The chase began in the City of Martinsville and ended just across the border in Henry County.
Fletcher Dernard Millner, age 20, of 1160 Yorkshire Road in Martinsville was arrested and charged with the following in the City of Martinsville:

•Felony Eluding Police
•Misdemeanor Obstruction of Justice
•Misdemeanor Driving with Revoked License

Further charges may be forthcoming in Henry County, depending on results of lab analysis on the substance retrieved from Millner upon arrest.

The Martinsville Police Department is continuing to gather evidence and information in this case.  Further charges may be forthcoming.

Anyone with information on this crime should contact the Martinsville Police Department Investigations Unit at 403-5301, the 911 Center, or Crime Stoppers.  Crime Stoppers pays rewards of up to $1,000 in certain cases.  You do not have to reveal your identity.  Report tips anonymously to 63-CRIME (276-632-7463).

Picture from Martinsville Police Dept.