On Saturday around 4:30 p.m., officers from the Roanoke County Police Department were dispatched to Catawba Valley Drive at Blacksburg Road in reference to a single vehicle accident. It was later determined that 35-year-old Justin C. Lawrence was the driver. Police say Lawrence crashed his vehicle, assaulted a witness to the accident, and fled the scene on foot. He then stole a car from the 5300 block of Keffer Road. Officer later located the vehicle and after a short pursuit Lawrence stopped the car near the Appalachian Trial parking area. He refused to comply with commands made by the officers on scene but, with help from a Roanoke County K-9 Unit Lawrence was taken into custody. He was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. The witness to the initial accident was not injured. Lawrence has now been charged with leaving an accident scene, assault, vehicle theft, trying to elude police, resisting arrest and driving on a revoked license. Lawrence, who is from Salem, was also charged in Craig County with unauthorized use of a vehicle.
