THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170586
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
The man accused of crashing a stolen car head-on into a police cruiser Tuesday now faces 18 charges - mostly felonies - after authorities in three cities discovered Thursday that he was wanted for a variety of crimes.
``He appears to be a one-man crime wave,'' police spokesman Mike Carey said.
The suspect, Wayne Allen Breathwaite, 40, who last lived in the 1600 block of Sudberry Court in Virginia Beach, is one of Chesapeake's most notorious fugitives. Police in that city believe Breathwaite is responsible for stealing at least five luxury cars from dealerships and that he may be connected to as many as 20 more thefts.
Breathwaite allegedly began stealing cars in April by posing as a customer. While visiting dealerships, he would swipe keys and return at night to steal cars, police said.
In Norfolk, he is wanted for failing to appear in court and for contempt of court. In Virginia Beach, he is wanted for failing to appear for a preliminary hearing on a charge of possessing burglary tools, and for failing to pay fines.
Police from those cities moved Thursday to serve arrest warrants on Breathwaite, who has been in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital since the head-on accident. Doctors apparently discovered a pre-existing medical condition and have kept him in the hospital for observation, police said.
Wednesday night, Breathwaite scuffled with a Virginia Beach deputy assigned to guard him, authorities said. Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Linda Jacocks said no one was injured and no charges have been filed.
Despite the mounting warrants and several public pleas from authorities for information on Breathwaite's whereabouts, the suspect was caught by routine police work.
Around 10 p.m. Tuesday, a police officer radioed in the tags of a Pontiac sedan. The car was reported stolen.
After a nine-minute chase, the stolen car slammed head-on into the police cruiser of another officer who was joining the pursuit.
Breathwaite ran from the crash, police said. He was caught hiding behind a bush. Officer Kevin Murphy, 29, was treated for minor injuries.
Virginia Beach police pinned three new charges on Breathwaite Thursday stemming from the pursuit and accident. They added charges of driving while being a habitual offender, giving police false information and possessing false identification. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Wayne Allen Breathwaite, suspected of stealing a number of luxury
cars, is in the hospital after a police chase ended in a head-on
crash.
Wayne Allen Breathwaite is in the hospital after a police chase
ended in a head-on crash.
KEYWORDS: ARREST AUTOMOBILE THEFT VIRGINIA BEACH
ACCIDENT TRAFFIC INJURIES by CNB