A Ridgeway man was arrested following a chase in Henry County that entered into North Carolina on Wednesday. According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 12:48 am, the Martinsville/Henry County Communication Center received a call about a reckless driver in the area of the 15000 block of A.L. Philpott Hwy. According to the caller, the suspect vehicle, a black Ford Mustang, had been doing burnouts near his residence and speeding. The caller followed the suspect vehicle down A.L Philpott Hwy. where the vehicles exited onto Greensboro Rd. The vehicles then headed into the city of Martinsville. 

Officers with the Martinsville Police Department got behind the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop on the Ford Mustang. The driver of the Mustang ignored the officer’s emergency equipment and increased its speed. A pursuit ensued down Memorial Blvd towards Walmart. It continued onto Virginia Ave and then left on Koehler Rd. The officers lost sight of the vehicle near the Koehler Rd and Appalachian Drive intersection.

Through the course of investigating this incident, it was determined that the suspect vehicle was registered to Ashton Wright, with an address of 2940 Lee Ford Camp Rd. Ridgeway, Va.

Deputies with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office went to that location in an attempt to locate the vehicle and driver. Upon their arrival, the Ford Mustang was parked in the driveway still running. As the deputies pulled up the driveway the Mustang took off driving through the yard. Deputies got behind the Mustang and activated their emergency equipment.

A pursuit ensued down Lee Ford Camp Rd. heading towards Greensboro Rd. The driver of the Mustang again was operating the vehicle in a very reckless and dangerous manner. The pursuit continued across Greensboro Rd., down Church St, and eventually took a right onto Rt. 87. At this time, the Mustang increased its speed well over 100mph. The pursuit continued down Rt. 87 and entered into North Carolina.

Eventually, while traveling on West Meadow Rd in Eden, NC, a deputy with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office successfully performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (P.I.T) on the Mustang. The vehicle lost traction with the roadway and slid into an embankment. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without further incident.

21-year-old Ashton Wright was arrested and charged with two counts of felony eluding police and reckless driving. Wright is currently held in Rockingham County Adult Detention Center awaiting extradition.