Home Roanoke County: State Police investigating death during traffic stop on Route 220
Virginia

Roanoke County: State Police investigating death during traffic stop on Route 220

Chris Graham
police
(© fotosr52 – stock.adobe.com)

The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating a death that occurred during a felony traffic stop in Roanoke County Tuesday night.

The U.S. Marshal’s Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force was conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into a fugitive suspect known to be in the area of Route 220 in Roanoke County. Task force members identified a passenger in a Toyota pickup as the wanted individual and initiated a traffic stop at approximately 9 p.m.

Task force members activated emergency lights and siren to initiate the traffic stop and the Toyota turned off Route 220 and stopped on Crossbow Court.

As the USMS members approached the Toyota, they heard a single gunshot.

When the marshals and task force members got to the vehicle, they found the passenger suffering from what appears to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Law enforcement on scene immediately rendered aid to the passenger, who was later identified as Joshua R. Donahue, 47, of Roanoke.

Donahue was transported by EMS to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

The remains were transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for examination and autopsy.

No law enforcement on scene discharged their weapons. The adult male driver of the pickup truck was not injured in the shooting. A handgun was recovered from inside the pickup truck.

The incident remains under investigation.

Support AFP

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

Latest News

jackson sherman waynesboro
Baseball

Waynesboro alum Jackson Sherman winding up college career at Shenandoah U.

climate change
Politics

Climate and Energy News Roundup: Are fossil fuel interests actually losing now?

The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill to extend the EnergyShare program of Dominion Energy to 2038 and increase its budget.

rob tracinski congress
Politics, Virginia

Give Rob Tracinski a chance: Former Tea Party guy has some good ideas

For a lot of Dems, hearing Rob Tracinski, who, as of today, is the first candidate to submit petitions to get on the ballot for the Democratic Party nomination in the Sixth District, say, “I was active in the Tea Party movement,” that’s a deal-breaker at the jump. Now, to me, the bigger issue is...

Gas prices
U.S. & World

Today’s gas price update: Up another 10 cents a gallon since yesterday

missing person
Virginia

Chesterfield County: Police searching for mother, two small children

woman arrest handcuffs
Local

Albemarle County: Man wanted on probation violations arrested after pursuit

uva basketball floor
Basketball

UVA Basketball Alum News: ‘Hoos in the NBA 2025-2026 season in review