Photo: BCSO

NEWS RELEASE: On August 7, 2019, at 1:56 pm Botetourt County Deputies were dispatch to Park Drive in the Blue Ridge area of Botetourt County. Deputies were responding to the location where a homeowner had returned home with his son and located a vehicle in his driveway that he was not familiar. He then located a subject inside of his garage where the homeowner and subject got into an altercation. The suspect got into the vehicle and as he was fleeing, swerved his vehicle striking the homeowner. At that time, the homeowner discharged a firearm at the vehicle’s tire. The suspect vehicle drove through an open field and fence and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of the Botetourt County Deputies diverted to the Blue Ridge Parkway. At 2:12pm, a Botetourt County Deputy located the vehicle described by the homeowner parked with a flat tire near mile marker 101 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Deputies and Parkway officers responded to the location.  After clearing and securing the vehicle, the suspect was spotted in a wooded area near the vehicle and he was placed in custody without incident at 2:17pm.

The suspect is Ray Milton Sykes Jr. age 32 from Bassett VA. He is currently being held without bond at the Botetourt/ Craig County Regional Jail on charges of Breaking & Entering, Attempted Malicious Wounding, Hit and Run’ and Property Damage.