Georgia man pleads guilty to eluding police in New Kent
A Georgia man who fled Virginia State Troopers on a 30-mile chase that began in New Kent entered guilty pleas during Nov. 21 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings.
Lawrence, Lenard Campfield, 47, of the 2500 block of Norton Boulevard, Augusta, pled guilty to one count each of felony eluding of police, misdemeanor reckless driving, misdemeanor driving without a license, failure to have a vehicle inspected, operating without insurance, and failing to obtain proper vehicle registration.
In a summary of evidence, on May 21, Virginia State Trooper Jonathan Miles received a radio call from another trooper while monitoring traffic westbound on Interstate 64 near the 217 mile marker. Information forwarded to Miles indicated five motorcycles were traveling at a high rate of speed and assistance was needed to initiate a traffic stop. As the state trooper prepared to enter the pursuit, one motorcycle zoomed past Miles, who elected to pull out in front of the other four motorcycles to slow them down.
As an assisting trooper was able to slow down two of the motorcycles behind Miles, two others accelerated, initiating a chase. After several attempts to block the bike riders from passing, the two motorcycles decided to split apart to prevent any additional barrier by Miles. The state trooper elected to pursue one of the motorcycles, a Hyabusa, that had its turn signal continuously on during the chase.
Speeds of the encounter reached nearly 150 miles per hour over the 30-mile chase. Miles tracked the vehicle as it made its way through the remainder of New Kent and into Henrico. The Hyabusa slowed briefly for construction at mile marker 192 in Henrico, but accelerated onto Interstate 95 North in downtown Richmond.
Speeds dropped down to 80 miles per hour before it appeared the vehicle would come to a halt after other troopers joined in on the pursuit. As the motorcycle pulled to the right shoulder it quickly accelerated again, restarting the chase for an additional three miles before the driver was ejected at the Brook Road exit.
The driver was identified as Campfield, who Miles testified was suspended in Virginia at the time of the chase. The trooper indicated other jurisdictions are handling cases for the other four motorcyclists who were involved in the pursuit.
Formal sentencing on the felony eluding charge is set for Jan. 23. Campfield will serve four months in jail on the misdemeanor reckless driving charge. He must pay a total of $1,700 in fines on the five misdemeanor and infraction charges.
In other circuit court cases:
–No formal finding has been rendered for Brian Matthew Harlow, 19, of New Kent. The defendant entered a plea agreement on two counts of burglary, possession of a controlled substance, grand larceny, two counts of misdemeanor tampering with a vehicle, and a single count of petty larceny. Harlow will enter the McShinn Foundation rehabilitation program and if successful, will have some of his charges reduced with others dropped. Formal sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 2018 but he must pay restitution in the amount of $500.
–A single charge of forging of bank notes was dropped against Willonda J. Scott, 21, of the 1500 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue, Portsmouth. According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, evidence presented would not be enough to convict Scott of the accused crime.