Scott man charged following high-speed chase, crash
GATE CITY — A Dungannon man faces numerous felonies after he allegedly led authorities on a high-speed chase through Scott County that reached speeds as high as 125 mph before ending in a multiple car crash in Gate City.
James Roger Castle Jr., 42, P.O. Box 7, Dungannon, was charged by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police with two counts of hit-and-run, two counts of reckless driving, and a single count each of felony eluding an officer and driving after being declared a habitual offender.
The Gate City Police Department also participated in the arrest.
Castle was taken into custody after he struck two cars while speeding down a portion of Jackson Street (State Route 870) west of Gate City, police said.
According to police reports, the pursuit began at 6:08 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Route 23 South in the Daniel Boone section of the county when a Scott County deputy attempted to pull over the 1991 Honda Castle was driving.
The stop was initiated, the report said, because Castle had been issued a citation by the same officer earlier in the day for driving on a revoked license and not having an inspection sticker.
Castle allegedly refused to stop after seeing the officer flash his blue lights and led authorities on a chase down U.S. 23 through light traffic that hit speeds as high as 125 mph, the report said.
At one point during the chase, Castle reportedly slid into a guardrail while exiting U.S. 23 onto Jackson Street toward downtown Gate City.
Authorities said Castle reached speeds of 88 mph while driving down the western portion of Jackson Street.
No traffic was reported on Jackson Street while the pursuit was taking place.
Officers stopped their pursuit of Castle at Presley’s Market, 379 W. Jackson St., because the chase had entered a residential area, the report said.
Shortly after the pursuit was terminated, Castle allegedly struck two vehicles, including one that was parked, while driving on Jackson Street.
The second vehicle involved in the wreck — which occurred near the intersection of Jackson Street and Horton Street — was occupied by three people. No injuries were reported as a result of the wreck.
Officers with the Gate City Police Department were able to stop Castle a few minutes later by blocking his car in on Park Street.
State police were brought in to investigate the two collisions.
Property damage from the chase was estimated at $4,000.
Castle is currently being held in the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield without bond. He is expected to be arraigned next week.
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