Drunk Man Arrested After Two Hit-And-Runs In Stafford: Police

STAFFORD, VA — A drunk man involved in two hit-and-run incidents late Saturday afternoon was arrested after abandoning his vehicle and trying to flee from officers on foot in the area of Bell Vine Lane, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. John Alexander Watts, 31, of Stafford County, was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of hit and run, driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license and other traffic offenses. He's being held without bond.

Around 4:45 p.m., police responded to an accident on Bells Hill Road near Fair Oaks Avenue where they found that a Chrysler had run off the road and hit a tree. The driver approached the officer and handed her a Virginia license plate that had fallen off the vehicle that hit her and forced her off the road. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. Also, like us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The victim said the accident happened when a blue Ford SUV traveling at a high rate of speed made an illegal U-turn in front of her, causing the collision. The SUV then sped away. The officer put out a be-on-the-lookout alert before finding that the same vehicle had just been involved in another hit-and-run incident.

While driving north on Bells Hill Road, the officer was stopped by a citizen who said a blue Ford SUV had just passed her on the double yellow line and then had turned onto Bell Vine Lane. The officer checked it out and spotted the empty vehicle in a travel lane. There was damage, and the tag left behind at the accident scene matched the one on the rear of the SUV.

A K-9 unit unsuccessfully searched for the driver but further investigation found that the driver was John Watts, and he had had prior run-ins with Stafford police. His address on file was near where the SUV was abandoned, so that's where police went. When Watts saw them, he ran out the back door but ultimately was chased back inside, where he was arrested.

Photo: Loudoun County Sheriff's Office