Two Separate Cases of Guillty Of Eluding the Police

By Connie Morrison
An Onancock woman who disregarded police instructions to pull over when a state trooper clocked her at 73 miles per hour (mph) southbound on US 13, pled guilty in Accomack County Circuit Court on October 18 to felony eluding police.

When officers initially pulled her over, Brittany Michelle Frink, of Onancock, said she was on her way from Onley Medical Center to the hospital in Nassawadox, claiming shortness of breath. The state trooper offered to call an ambulance, at which point Ms. Frink put the car in gear and took off. According to evidence offered by Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Spencer Morgan, the officer pursued at speeds up to 100 mph southbound on US-13, and Ms. Brink ran the stop light at Merry Cat Road. A second trooper joined the chase and performed a moving roadblock, and when they finally stopped Ms. Frinks vehicle, she refused to get out.

Defense attorney Carl Bundick noted that the speeds cite in the Commonwealths evidence were those reached by the officers in pursuit, and that no evidence was offered that Ms. Frinks speeds reached anything other than the 73 mph that led to the initial stop. He asked that Ms. Frink be allowed to remain on bond.

Judge W. Revell Lewis III expressed bewilderment at Ms. Frinks actions, asking, What were you thinking? He granted the request for Ms. Frink to remain on bond until sentencing.

In a separate eluding case, Travis Markeise Brown was sentenced for eluding police in a high-speed chase November 28 of 2011. Mr. Brown was convicted in July following a trial before a judge. While the chase lasted for less than one mile, speeds reached up to 80 miles per hour.

In pronouncing the sentence, Judge W. Revell Lewis III told Mr. Brown that he had accumulated quite the record with over $18,000 in unpaid fines and court costs since 2000. It is appalling to me the disregard you have had for the law, he continued. That lack of regard, and his extensive record, led Judge Lewis to impose the maximum sentence of five years, with all but one year, four months suspended. The time is to be served consecutive to the six month sentence Mr. Brown is now serving, and on the condition that he maintain good behavior for a period of five years.

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