Driver Led Cops On Chase, Crashed After Theft Of $3K Chain: Police

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — After the theft of a $3,000 chain in Stafford County, a driver led police on a chase and crashed in Fredericksburg on Saturday, authorities said.

No injuries were reported in the crash.

The Stafford County Sheriff's Office identified the driver as 19-year-old Kijhan Henson. He is charged with felony eluding and failure to obey a traffic light. Henson is being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

The suspect who stole the chain fled the scene of the crash and is still at large. He will face charges of felony grand larceny, felony forging currency, and two counts of felony possession of forged currency.

Investigators described the suspect as a short and light-skinned Black man. He was wearing a black jacket and a black ski mask and had a firearm, according to authorities.

The incident began around 3 p.m. on Saturday in a parking lot on West Cambridge Street. A victim told Stafford deputies that he met someone on Instagram and arranged to sell a chain for $3,000. The suspect gave the victim fake money, took the chain, and got into the passenger seat of a vehicle that drove away.

"At the intersection of Butler Road and Richmond Highway, deputies spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop," the Stafford County Sheriff's Office wrote in a report. "Instead of stopping, the suspect vehicle ran a red light, nearly causing an accident, and accelerated in an attempt to flee into the city of Fredericksburg."

Stafford County deputies ended their pursuit at the county line. Fredericksburg authorities reported that the suspect vehicle crashed and the three occupants fled on foot. Two of the suspects were taken into custody.

"We encourage community members when they meet with unknown individuals to buy or sell goods to do so in safe exchange zones," the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said. "The Ford T. Humphrey Public Safety Building is one of those safe exchange zones, located at 1225 Courthouse Road. The Fredericksburg Police Department is as well, located at 2200 Cowan Boulevard."