UPDATE from State Police: At the request of the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office theVirginia State Police is investigating a motor vehicle crash which involved an officer involved shooting.  The crash and shooting occurred following a pursuit on Sunday (Aug 12) at approximately 11:18 a.m. on Route 29 near Spencer Mountain Road.

Amherst County Sheriff’s Office received a lookout for a 2014 maroon Nissan Altima which may be traveling on Route 29, which was a suspect vehicle in a shooting in Nelson County.  A vehicle matching the description was spotted traveling south on Route 29 in Amherst County.  The Sheriff’s Deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle.  After the Deputy activated his emergency equipment the Nissan fled continuing south at a high rate of speed on Route 29.  As the Nissan approached Spencer Mountain Road, the vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway, lost control and crashed.

As the deputies exited their vehicles, the driver of the Nissan opened fire with a handgun from inside the Nissan striking one of the responding deputies. Deputies returned gunfire striking the suspect.

The suspect was identified as Anthony Makai Hutchinson, 40, of Waynesboro, Va.  Hutchinson died at the scene.

One Amherst County Deputy received a non-life threatening gunshot wound in the exchange.  

In accordance with Amherst County policy, three deputies have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is being completed.

Update from Amherst Co. Sheriff’s Office:  Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office were involved in a shooting with a single suspect this morning. At approximately 11:20 deputies attempted to stop a vehicle matching a description of a vehicle sought in Nelson County. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and crashed along Rt 29 SB in the area of Spencer Mtn Rd. Upon crashing, shots were fired and an Amherst Sheriff’s Deputy was struck in the leg. Further shots were exchanged and the suspect is now deceased. The deputy has been transported to a medical facility for treatment , and should be released sometime later today. The Virginia State Police has been asked to investigate this incident.

 Previous from State Police: Virginia State Police are investigating two incidents in Nelson and Amherst counties: Incident #1: Shortly before 11 a.m., Sunday (Aug. 12, 2018), the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police responded to a residence in the 1700 block of Avon Road where a deceased individual was located. The incident is being investigated as a homicide and search efforts were immediately underway for the suspect. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office is at the scene and investigating.
Incident #2: In Amherst County at approximately 11:20 a.m., a vehicle crashed while traveling along Geddes Mountain Road in Amherst County. As Amherst County Sheriff’s Deputies engaged with the driver of the crashed vehicle, a deputy was shot. The driver of the vehicle is deceased. The deputy was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office is at the scene and investigating. State police is working to determine if these two incidents are related.