An Arlington man who allegedly deployed bear spray against police officers who were trying to arrest him in Hybla Valley last week is now facing dozens of criminal charges.
An alert issued by an automated license plate reader around 1:39 p.m. last Friday (March 20) notified officers to the presence of a vehicle associated with a man who was wanted on multiple felony charges, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The officers found the vehicle — a black Cadillac sedan — in the 8100 block of Richmond Highway and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
“The driver fled, and a pursuit was initiated,” the FCPD said. “The Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), our Fairfax 1 helicopter, and the Virginia State Police responded to assist.”
When the pursuit reached northbound I-495, officers brought the vehicle to a stop using the controversial Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver that the FCPD lays claim to inventing. But when the officers issued commands to the driver, he sprayed them with bear spray, police say.
While it’s unclear how close the officers were at the time, more than one of them “sustained minor injuries” from the bear spray that required treatment at the scene.
The 46-year-old driver was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries described by police as “non-life-threatening.”
“Two juveniles who were located inside his vehicle were exposed to the bear spray and transported to a local hospital as a precaution,” the FCPD said.
Currently in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond, the man has been charged with a range of offenses stemming from the pursuit and bear spray incident. He was also served outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, the FCPD said:
Johnson was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he was served outstanding warrants for Robbery, six counts of Grand Larceny, three counts of Possession of Stolen Property with Intent to Sell, three counts of Conspiring to Commit Larceny, Petit Larceny, three felony Probation Violations, misdemeanor Probation Violation, Failure to Appear, Driving After Forfeiture of License, Felony Speed to Elude, three counts of Hit and Run, Felony Destruction of Property, Driving on a Revoked License, and Driving with No License Plate from other jurisdictions.
He was additionally charged with Felony Speed to Elude, five counts of Assault on Law Enforcement by Caustic Substance, two counts of Felony Child Endangerment, two counts of Possession of a Schedule I/II Narcotic, Obstruction of Justice with Force, and Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses.
