VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WRIC) — A 31-year-old man is in the hospital with serious injuries after police say he led state troopers on a chase through the Hampton Roads region while riding a stolen motorcycle before he crashed.
According to Virginia State Police (VSP), a trooper saw a black 2008 Kawasaki ZX600 motorcycle on Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach with no lights on. The trooper tried to pull over the operator, but he refused to stop and a pursuit began.
The operator, identified as 31-year-old Robert Allen Paternite, led police onto I-64 into Chesapeake and onto High Rise Bridge. Once he reached the bridge, the pursuit was terminated due to heavy traffic.
After the pursuit was terminated, the Virginia Department of Transportation let VSP know Paternite’s approximate location and troopers found the motorcycle, which had been involved in a crash with another vehicle, on the 2900 block of Military Highway.
Paternite had run away from the scene of the crash but was later found lying down next to a nearby building. He was taken to Norfolk General Hospital with injuries that are considered serious, but non-life-threatening.
Paternite has been charged with felony eluding, reckless driving by speed, possession of stolen property, unsafe lane change driving in a construction zone, driving with no headlights, improper display of registration, improper passing and aggressive driving. Police say more charges against Paternite are pending.
