WASHINGTON — The search continues for the four passengers of a car involved in a high-speed chase through Fairfax County, Virginia, on Thursday.
Police have already apprehended the alleged driver, K’Shawn M. Pearson, who has since been charged with reckless driving, speeding to elude, driving on a revoked operator’s license and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Fairfax County police on Friday released surveillance photos of the others — two males and two females — with hopes of finding them. Police did not disclose the passengers’ names but said Friday morning that investigators had identified the individuals and that charges were pending against them.
All of this stems from what began as a traffic stop.
At around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, an officer attempted to pull over a 1996 Toyota Avalon, but police say the driver sped off, eventually coming to a stop at Ofaly Road.
Once stopped, everyone got out of the car and ran, police said.
Police launched an extensive search, bringing in K-9 teams to assist. Amid the scrum, a police officer got into a minor crash and was hospitalized for minor injuries.
Police received numerous reports of sightings from neighbors — that the suspects were in the woods, near a creek, and running through people’s yards. A red sweatshirt was found ditched in a yard on Ofaly road, police said.
Pearson, 20, of Woodbridge, was apprehended hours later in the woods near Fairfax County Parkway.
But the passengers got away, police said.
Police said they knocked on a resident’s door, claiming to be out of gas. The resident unwittingly gave them a ride to a gas station at Ox Road and Zion Road. When the resident pressed them further about their situation, they fled again, police said.
The resident reported the incident to police.
Police are investigating whether the driver and passengers were involved a string of car break-ins the night before the incident.
The Toyota Avalon they were in was stolen from Prince William County, Virginia, police said.
