2 weeks Ago
A man has been released on supervised probation after pleading guilty to fleeing a traffic stop in Charlottesville last year, striking a police officer's vehicle and dropping a bag of illegal ammunition in the process. Alexzander Turner Jr., 21, agreed to a plea deal in October of last year.
He was sentenced Tuesday to 19 years in prison on charges of eluding police, leaving the scene of an accident, possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and violating his probation from a previous attempted robbery. A portion of the 19-year sentence, however, was suspended and Turner has been returned to supervised probation for a term of two years and ordered to be on good behavior for 10 years. Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania said in a statement announcing Turner's sentence that “the Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Charlottesville Police Department, will continue to prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders.
” Turner Charlottesville police say they attempted to pull over Turner on July 2 of last year after he "blatantly" ran a red light on Elliott Avenue, but he refused to stop. Turner reportedly made a three-point turn "at a high rate of speed" before driving at officers, striking one officer's vehicle and a parked car in the process. Police said they gave chase, pursuing Turner through the 900 block of South First Street in the city's Ridge Street neighborhood, where he dropped a bag that contained his identification and unspent 9mm ammunition.
Turner was utimately captured in the area of Lankford Avenue. Court records show that detectives found a camouflage-decorated AK-47-style weapon with an extended magazine along with a partial box of Remington bullets in Turner's car’s trunk. Turner was initially charged with eight offenses, including driving with a revoked license and the use of a bogus car registration since the car allegedly carried a license plate for a different Honda, a demolished green one.
His October plea deal saw him pleading guilty to just four charges. Turner's case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Nina-Alice Antony. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
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