CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – UPDATE
One person is in custody and another suspect remains wanted after police said the two ran away from a traffic stop in Christiansburg on Thursday morning.
Just after 10 a.m., an officer tried to pull over a car in the 2700 block of Roanoke Street for an expired inspection.
While trying to pull the car over, police said the driver sped up and ran over a traffic sign. The passenger and the driver then got out of the car and ran away from the scene, according to police.
Robert Joseph Franklin Smith, 31, of Christiansburg was arrested, authorities said. While he was being taken to the magistrate’s office, officers said he started to have a medical emergency and was taken to Lewis Gale Montgomery Regional Hospital. Authorities do not have any information on his medical status and charges are pending.
Authorities are continuing to search for the second suspect, who they believe may be armed. He is described as a man with tattoos last seen wearing jeans with no shirt or shoes.
Police said they are using K9 units and drone units in an effort to find the suspect.
Authorities discovered that the two were driving a car that was reported stolen on April 13 from Giles County.
Officers said that while there is no information that leads them to believe the suspect is a threat to the public, anyone living near the top of Christiansburg Mountain are encouraged to keep their cars and homes locked and to be alert to any suspicious persons.
ORIGINAL STORY
Authorities are searching for a suspect they said ran away from police during a traffic stop in Christiansburg.
Officers are searching for the suspect near Roanoke Street near Dunlap Drive, according to town officials. The suspect may be armed.
Police are asking nearby residents to stay inside with locked doors.
Stick with 10 News as this breaking news story develops.