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Police: Man charged after assaulting Roanoke City Police Officer, stealing patrol car

The Roanoke PD said the incident happened on August 26

Terry Yerkey (Credit: Roanoke City Jail) (WSLS)

ROANOKE, Va. – A man has been arrested after assaulting a police officer, stealing the patrol car, and crashing, the Roanoke Police Department said.

Around 10:45 p.m. on August 26, Roanoke Police said they responded to an E-911 notification of a person acting erratically at the intersection of Williamson Road NW and Hershberger Road NW.

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Authorities said that when an officer arrived, they found a man standing in the road in the 5200 block of Williamson Road NW.

Once the officer parked and got out of the vehicle, the man ran to her door and began assaulting her, according to the Roanoke Police Department.

After a brief altercation, police said the officer took out her department-issued taser and deployed it, but it had little to no effect on the man.

Authorities said that the man then got into the officer’s vehicle and tried to drive away, and the officer reached inside, grabbing the gear shift when a citizen pulled in front of the officer’s vehicle in an attempt to assist the officer.

As the altercation continued, the man leaned down and bit the officer’s arm, which caused her to remove her hand from the gear shift, police said.

Police said that the man drove forward after the officer let go of the gear shift, drove forward, and crashed into another car, then continued to drive until he lost control and crashed the patrol car in the 1700 block of Lee Highway in Botetourt County.

The man exited the vehicle and attempted to run away on foot when more officers were able to find him and a Roanoke PD K-9 successfully apprehended the man, authorities said.

The Roanoke PD said that he was taken into custody by Virginia State Police without further incident, then was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.

After being treated, police said he was taken to the Roanoke City Jail.

Authorities said the man was later identified as Terry Yerkey, 42, and is being charged with the following:

  • Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer,
  • Theft of a Motor Vehicle,
  • Felony Hit-and-Run.

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Alli Graham came aboard the digital team as an evening digital content producer in June 2022.