The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has new details in fatal crash that took the life of an innocent driver on Friday, July 17.
Martha Chavez, 61, of Stafford was traveling northbound on Jefferson Davis Highway in her Nissan vehicle before being hit head-on by an escaping suspect traveling on the wrong side of the road. Chavez died at the scene with an unidentified passenger of her car being taken to a nearby hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, identified in our previous story as Daontre Kalio Waters, 25, was taken into custody and was treated for only minor injuries at a nearby hospital.
We reported in our previous story that a vehicle was stolen at Colonial Avenue. In a new press release sent to us by the Stafford sheriff’s office, states Waters was robbing a residence with a duffle bag in hand, when the resident of the house arrived and caught Waters in his house.
According to the authorities, the resident tried to restrain Waters before he made off with the victim’s 2008 Chevy Tahoe. A deputy later saw the stolen Chevy Tahoe speed past him going over 80 mph in a 50 mph zone, according to authorities.
Police say a pursuit began and around the intersection of Tamar Creek Lane, Waters shortly lost control of his vehicle and drove on the sidewalk before quickly gaining control again. The sheriff’s office states a deputy was able to catch up with the Tahoe at Austin Run Boulevard and initiate a successful traffic stop maneuver that had the Tahoe spinning.
The press release states that a second deputy arrived and exited his patrol car when Waters stopped spinning and aimed his car at the second deputy’s car. Police say Waters then revved his engine and hit the patrol car that sent the deputy flying in the air.
According to the press release, Waters then fled the scene, driving on the wrong side of the road on Jefferson Davis Highway before crashing into Martha Chavez’s car head-on. The pursuit ended, Waters was arrested, and he is now being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond on charges of murder, attempted capital murder, and felony eluding.
Police state more charges are being pended as the investigation continues.
