At 1 a.m. on Feb. 16 Dumbarton Square resident Charlie Waddell was heading to bed when he heard "a commotion" on nearby Park Avenue.
The source of the commotion?
A pursuit by the Herndon Police that left four of their cruisers damaged and a white Dodge van abandoned in a snow bank. Ultimately the driver of the van was arrested and sent to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he is being held without bond.
A little after 1 a.m. Herndon resident Eusebio Cervantes, 24, tried to elude a Herndon Police officer when they attempted to pull him over for speeding. Traveling at high speeds through residential neighborhoods, Cervantes stopped his van on Herndon Parkway near Cavalier Drive, according to the Herndon Police.
Four Herndon officers took up position behind the van. Cervantes then put the vehicle into reverse, ramming two of the cruisers. The other two cars were damaged while attempting to get out of the van's way. Cervantes reversed more than 550 feet, ending up on Ferndale Avenue, before his van became lodged in a snow bank, Lt. Don Amos said. He then fled the scene on foot, but was apprehended a short distance away. One Herndon Police officer received minor injuries to his hands, while chasing and arresting Cervantes.
The estimated damage to the four cars totaled $8,500, according to Amos.
AFTER APPREHENSION, Cervantes was charged with four counts of attempted malicious wounding of police officers, felony speed to elude, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, no valid operator's license and possession of fake identification. He is also wanted on two outstanding warrants in Prince William County.
"I got there after the suspect was apprehended and taken into custody and was safely restrained in one of the [Herndon Police] cruisers," said Waddell of the scene near his house.
After witnessing the four damaged cruisers and the hand wounds of one of the officers, Waddell said he came away from the incident with "a sense of relief that a very dangerous situation had been handled swiftly as well as safely" by the officers.