Christian Gervais

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

Christian Gervais was not as swift as he thought.

A late-night police chase through three Virginia counties ended with a shredded Dodge, a stunned deputy, and a 22-year-old driver who reportedly told the sheriff he ran because he “thought I was wanted from Maryland.”

That explanation didn’t make much sense to Culpeper County deputies — and for anyone looking at what was left of the car, the chase itself won’t either.

Christian Gervais

Christian Gervais

Culpeper Police Department

The Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began Saturday, Nov. 29, when a deputy tried to overtake a speeding vehicle on Route 522 near Sperryville Pike. The car was already pushing 95 mph when the deputy hit the lights. 

Instead of stopping, Gervais took off.

It ended poorly.

The sheriff’s office said Gervais sped onto Slate Mills Road, clipped a corner of Rappahannock County, then barreled south on Route 231 into Madison County — at one point turning off all his lights to try to disappear into the dark like Batman.

Did not work.

Deputies ahead of the chase attempted to set out spike strips, but Gervais swerved onto Hebron Court in Madison, ran out of road, and slammed head-on into a tree at the end of the cul-de-sac. 

The impact nearly split the car in two before the wreckage spun into a parked vehicle. The pursuing deputy, trying to brake, slid into a tree as well.

Both the deputy and the suspect suffered minor injuries.

He still wasn't done.

According to the sheriff’s office, Gervais was still refusing to cooperate even after the crash. 

Deputies “assisted” him out of what was left of the vehicle before taking him into custody. He was later identified, and both he and the deputy were checked out at a nearby hospital.

Gervais was charged with:

  • Reckless driving;
  • Felony eluding;
  • False/fictitious registration;
  • Operating an unregistered vehicle;
  • Driving without a seatbelt.

Further investigation into the vehicle and tags is underway. 

Virginia State Police are handling the crash investigation. No homes, bystanders, or other drivers were hurt, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff T.W. Chilton said he went to the hospital to speak with both his deputy and the suspect, and asked Gervais why he ran. According to the sheriff, the answer wasn’t exactly reassuring.

“I don’t understand the thought process, or I guess you could say lack of thought process," he said. "I went to the hospital to check on this young man and my deputy. When I asked him why, his response still didn’t make sense."

“'I thought I was wanted from Maryland.'" he said. "Terrible decisions could’ve been something he didn’t walk away from." 

It remains under investigation.