VA Man Charged After High-Speed I-95 Chase

Police say they have charged a Virginia man who led officers on a high-speed, 26-mile chase before a Maryland State Police cruiser rammed the stolen car he was driving on I-95 in Aberdeen as he tried to run down troopers

The chase, which reached speeds up to 100 mph, began just before 3 p.m. Tuesday when Harford County Sheriff’s deputies spotted a stolen silver Ford Taurus driven by Brandon L. Pegram, 23, a fugitive wanted after allegedly threatening his family with a shotgun and handgun Sunday in Stoney Creek, VA, Maryland State Police said.

“Harford County sheriffs attempted to initiate a stop and the vehicle fled,” Harford County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Officer Monica Worrell said.

Harford deputies, state troopers, Baltimore County police, including air patrols, and the U.S. Marshals Office joined the pursuit. Pegram led them from U.S. 40 and Gateway Drive to White Marsh Boulevard in Baltimore County onto I-95 North, police said. There, he allegedly tried to drive into civilian cars before trying to run down troopers on the highway.

Maryland State Police Sgt. Mark Yingling steered his cruiser into the Taurus, trapping the car against a guardrail near the Maryland House travel plaza, state police said.

Pegram, who appeared Wednesday before a court commissioner at the Harford County Central Booking Center, faces first- and second-degree assault, vehicle theft, reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property charges along with numerous traffic violations in the Tuesday chase.

He was wanted on robbery, felony assault and kidnapping charges after allegedly threatening family members at the Virginia home.

“Pegram reportedly held his family hostage and had allegedly threatened to harm any law enforcement officers who attempted to apprehend him,” Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley said in a news release.

Virginia State Police said Pegram had barricaded himself in a house in Stoney Creek, about 30 miles south of Richmond. When authorities entered the house early Monday morning, Pegram was gone, and police issued the warrants for his arrest.

Virginia authorities also discovered a Ford Taurus owned by Dinwiddie County had been stolen, but it was unclear whether it was taken from authorities who came to the house during the standoff.

 Pegram, who police said was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, was in the car alone, and officers found no weapons.

No one else was injured, but there were several close calls.

“Just before the entrance to the Maryland House on I-95, the suspect attempted to ram citizen vehicles,” Shipley said.

Two sheriff’s deputies, who were well ahead of the chase, got out of their cars to throw down markers telling motorists to stop.  

Pegram avoided the deputies by swerving, Maryland State Police 1st Sgt. Michael Wann said.

Then Pegram continued his attempt to elude police.

“Pegram nearly struck the first deputy, then lost control and traveled across I-95, nearly striking the second deputy,” Shipley said. “The suspect then appeared to deliberately drive his car directly at the second deputy, who was able to dive out of the way before being hit.”