Driver Ditches Gun In Trash Can After Stafford Crash, Police Claim

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A driver left the scene of a crash in Stafford County on Wednesday to drop a handgun in a trash can, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said the driver was a convicted felon with a suspended license.

Police identified the driver as Elijah Johnson, a 22-year-old man from Fredericksburg. Johnson was charged with weapon possession by a felon, ammunition possession by a felon, driving while suspended, and a traffic lane violation.

If convicted of all charges, Johnson could face up to 11 years in prison, based on Virginia's sentencing guidelines.

Johnson is being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. His next court date is scheduled for April 12.

Johnson and another driver were taken to a hospital after the crash. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

The crash occurred around 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday in the 3200 block of Richmond Highway in Stafford County. Authorities shut down the roadway for several hours after the crash. The victim told authorities that another driver, who they later identified as Johnson, rear-ended him.

While they investigated the crash, a Stafford County deputy said they found ammunition in Johnson's vehicle, but they did not locate a firearm.

"Johnson entered a nearby restaurant in a bit of a rush immediately after the crash," the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said in a report. "Johnson spent a few minutes in the bathroom before calmly exiting."

When a deputy searched the restaurant's bathroom, they found a handgun and a knife in one of the trash cans.

When Johnson was released from the hospital, deputies took him to the Rappahannock Regional Jail.