State Police investigating series of hit-and-runs in Augusta County

Virginia State Police are still investigating a series of events that occurred in Augusta County Sunday night (Aug. 18) involving a Staunton man.

At 7:01 p.m., Trooper G.D. McCoy Jr. was alerted to a traffic crash at the end of the ramp from northbound I-81 at Exit 222. A 2003 Jeep Cherokee had been driving erratically along Route 250 when it made a U-turn near the end of the ramp and struck a U-Haul truck. The Cherokee then fled the scene. The driver of the U-Haul was not injured and the vehicle suffered minor damage.

The Jeep then continued up Route 250. Trooper McCoy put out a “Be on the Lookout” to area law enforcement for the Cherokee based on a witness description of the hit-and-run vehicle.

The Jeep was later spotted by Augusta County deputies behind an abandoned building along Route 11. After an encounter with the driver of the Jeep, the vehicle fled from the deputies. As the Jeep sped onto Route 11, it ran into a 2007 Nissan Altima in the southbound lanes. The impact forced the Nissan into the northbound lanes and into the guardrail. The driver of the Nissan and her two children were not injured in the crash.

The Jeep fled again and was pursued by Augusta County deputies. The Jeep was stopped and its driver, Derek S. Powell, 33, of Staunton, Va., was taken into custody.

State police are investigating both hit-and-run crashes. Trooper McCoy charged Powell with two counts of hit-and-run, two counts of reckless driving, DUI, expired vehicle registration, destruction of property, and for not wearing a seat belt.