DUI, Maiming Charges Announced After Single-Vehicle Crash In Stafford: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A man from King George was arrested last week in Stafford after a single-vehicle crash left a passenger with significant injuries. The man, who police identified as Matthew Garvey, was held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

The crash was reported around 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13. The incident occurred in the 700 block of Kings Highway.

Through their investigation, authorities determined that a Lincoln SUV was travelling eastbound on Kings Highway when the driver's side tires left the road and entered the median. The sheriff's office said that the driver the overcorrected, sending the SUV across the other eastbound lanes and onto the shoulder.

The Lincoln then travelled down the shoulder and crashed into a cluster of bushes and trees, police said. During the crash, a passenger collided with the vehicle's windshield and suffered significant facial injuries.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they suspected that the driver, who was later identified as Garvey, was intoxicated and administered field sobriety tests. During a pat down, deputies said they felt something in Garvey's pocket.

Authorities said that Garvey then dug into the pocket, pulled out several capsules, and tried to eat them. One of the capsules burst and sent a cloud of powder into the air, police said.

The sheriff's office claimed that one deputy had to be treated at a hospital after he became ill from exposure to the powder. Authorities did not specify what was in the capsule or how it affected the deputy, though the remaining capsules were seized as evidence.

Garvey is charged with DUI, maiming as a result of DUI, obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, refusal, and driving without a license. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 3.

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