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Richmond man pleads guilty to firearms charge stemming from high-speed chase on I-95

Crystal Graham
interstate 95
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A Richmond man faces up to 15 years in prison for a firearms charge after leading police on a high-speed chase of more than 100 mph.

Israel Maleek Mangram, 23, of Richmond, pled guilty today and will be sentenced on March 6.

Mangram was convicted of robbery on Aug. 5, 2020. As a previously convicted felon, Mangram cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

On Feb. 28, according to court documents, Mangram was weaving out of his lane while on Interstate 95. A Virginia State Police trooper ran information on the vehicle and discovered the owner had a suspended driver’s license. The trooper could not so the driver, but he initiated a traffic stop.

Mangram pulled the vehicle onto the right shoulder of the interstate but did not stop. He returned to the travel lanes and increased his speed to more than 100 mph. After a high-speed chase, Mangram lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a home.

Mangram tried to climb out of the passenger-side window. The trooper approached Mangram, who was lying next to the passenger side of the SUV and ordered Mangram to show his hands. Lying next to Mangram was a handgun.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.