DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville man was arrested after authorities said he tried to buy a Tesla with phony cash before stealing it and leading police on a chase.
On Wednesday around 9 p.m., deputies responded to the US-29 bypass near High Point, North Carolina after they were told that a man tried to buy a 2018 black Tesla Model 3 with fake money.
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Authorities said the car was on US-29 before it crossed from Guilford County into Rockingham County before they lost sight of it. The car was then spotted speeding and going north on US-29 near the Freeway Drive offramp and got off onto Mayfield Road in Ruffin where deputies said it crashed into a guardrail.
The driver, Cortavious Rey-Ray Johnson, 26, then got out of the car and jumped off of the Mayfield offramp bridge onto US-29 bypass below. Authorities said Johnson was then surrounded by Rockingham County deputies. He had minor injuries but refused treatment, according to deputies.
Johnson was charged with resist, obstruct and delay, larceny of a motor vehicle, obtaining property by false pretense, uttering a forged instrument and possession of counterfeit currency. Authorities said more charges could be pending.
Johnson is in the Rockingham County Detention Facility under a $105,000 secured bond.