Man charged after chase in stolen police cruiser

By Aileen Streng

Published: March 9, 2008

It started out as reports of a white BMW trying to run other cars off the road near the Prince William/Loudoun county line on Saturday morning.

It escalated to a stolen Prince William County police cruiser, a police chase along Interstate 66, a crash and a scuffle with police officers and a K-9 unit.

It ended with a 41-year-old Maryland man facing a slew of charges.

Michael Richard Weis, 41, of 4908 Quimby St., Beltsville, Md., has been charged by Prince William County police with the following: driving under the influence of drugs; eluding; obstruction of justice; possession of a schedule II substance, cocaine; driving on a suspended operator's license, no seatbelt, attempting to injure a police animal, five counts of attempted malicious wounding; grand larceny of an automobile; and destruction of property, according to Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

At about 10:39 a.m. Saturday, Prince William County police received several complaints of a reckless driver in the area of U.S. 15 and Sudley Road in the Catharpin and Battlefield area of the county.

Callers reported that a white BMW was attempting to run other drivers off the road, Hernandez said.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office also contacted Prince William police about a reckless driver attempting to run other drivers off the road in their county. The vehicle description was the same.

Two Prince William officers patrolling Gum Spring Road near the Loudoun/Prince William county line spotted a vehicle matching the description of the white BMW parked in the middle of the road, blocking traffic in both directions, Hernandez said.

One of the officers approached the BMW and saw the driver waving what appeared to be a knife, she said.

The two officers took cover beside one of the police cars and gave commands to the suspect. He did not comply with the commands. Instead, he "suddenly exited the white BMW and ran towards the other police vehicle," Hernandez said.

The suspect got into the police cruiser and, as the officers attempted to pull him out, he put the car in gear and drove off into Prince William County.

Prince William police chased after the stolen police car.

From Gum Spring Road, the driver turned left onto Sudley Road and then onto eastbound I-66. When the stolen police car entered Fairfax County, the driver made a U-turn and started heading back into Prince William in the westbound lanes of I-66, Hernandez said.

Prince William police had placed a "tire deflating device" in the car's path and it successfully flattened some of the tires on the stolen police car, Hernandez said.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed near exit 47B of I-66.

As the officers attempted to place the driver in custody, they discovered he was armed with a box cutter, not a knife, Hernandez said.

The driver, Weis, fought with officers and a police K-9 unit until he was handcuffed, Hernandez said.

After being taken into custody Weis was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital where he remained on Sunday, Hernandez said.

Virginia State Police and Fairfax County police assisted Prince William in the vehicle chase and the arrest. No injuries to citizens as a result of the incident were reported. Aside from the stolen police cruiser, which was deemed a total loss, no other property was damaged, Hernandez said.

Weis is being held without bond and has been schedule to appear in court on May 7, Hernandez said.

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010 or .