3 arrested after 10-mile Floyd County police chase, manhunt

Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to make the arrests

FLOYD COUNTY, Va. – Three people are in jail, facing charges after a chase and manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies earlier this week.

On Tuesday at 5:16 p.m., Floyd County’s Sgt. OB Harris pulled over a Chevy Silverado which had improper registration.

The pickup truck pulled over on Route 8, near Alum Ridge Road.

While Harris ran the driver’s information, the Silverado sped off, according to the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

It eventually stopped about 10 miles away at the end of Five Points Road in Riner.

The driver, 42-year-old Melvin Leftwich Jr., ran out of the vehicle, which started a manhunt that members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Christiansburg Police Department and Virginia State Police assisted with. A state police K-9 unit also responded to the scene.

Leftwich was already wanted on two outstanding warrants for felony shoplifting and misdemeanor failure to appear. Once arrested, the following authorities filed the following charges against him in Floyd County General District Court:

  • Felony eluding
  • Driving with a revoked license
  • Improper registration

Authorities arrested two of Leftwich’s four passengers.

Vanessa Parks, 34, was arrested on an outstanding warrant in Montgomery County for probation violation.

Joanna Spurrier, 30, was also arrested on an outstanding warrant in Montgomery County for probation violation.

While searching the Silverado, law enforcement recovered drug narcotics paraphernalia, other items of interest and found that Spurrier had meth, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

She will face charges with the Floyd County Circuit Court at a later date.

Parks and Spurrier were both taken into custody by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Montgomery County Jail.