I-81 Pursuit of Robbery Suspect Ends in Rockbridge County

A New York man faces multiple charges following a multi-county pursuit along Interstate 81 on Wednesday, Oct. 11, that ended with a crash in northern Rockbridge County.

According to the Virginia State Police, shortly after 9 a.m., a 2004 Toyota Camry was traveling south on I-81 when it pulled onto the shoulder at the 264 mile marker in Shenandoah County and stopped in front of a tractor-trailer that had become disabled and had stopped on the shoulder.

The driver of the Toyota, Jacob D. Falso, 30, of Freeville, N.Y., ran up to the cab of the tractor-trailer and broke out the driver's side window, according to the police report. Armed with a knife, Falso allegedly robbed the tractor-trailer driver and attempted to carjack the vehicle.

As the trooper pulled up to the scene, he encountered Falso standing on the shoulder of I-81 still armed with the knife. Falso refused to comply with the trooper's commands to drop the knife and, instead, ran back to the Toyota and sped off southbound on I-81.

The trooper checked on the driver of the tractor-trailer to be sure he was not injured and in need of medical attention. The trooper then issued a “Be On the Lookout” alert to area law enforcement for the Toyota.

Minutes later, another state trooper located the Toyota on I-81 near the 244 mile marker in Rockingham County. The trooper waited for additional law enforcement and initiated a traffic stop at the 227 mile marker in Augusta County, but Falso refused to comply and sped away continuing south on I-81. A pursuit was initiated.

During the course of the pursuit, the Toyota struck a FedEx truck and rammed two Virginia State Police patrol vehicles. The Toyota continued south on I-81 until Falso lost control at the 204 mile marker just south of the Raphine exit and crashed. Falso was taken into custody without further incident.

He was transported to Augusta Health for a medical evaluation. He is currently being held at the Middle River Regional Jail.

In Shenandoah County, state police charged Falso with one count of robbery, one count of carjacking, one count of destruction of property, and for illegally stopping on the highway.

In Augusta County, state police charged Falso with one felony count of eluding police, one count of throwing a missile at an unoccupied vehicle, one count of destruction of property and one count of illegal possession of a Schedule I/II narcotic. The "missile" was an unknown object thrown by Falso at one of the state trooper's vehicles during the course of the pursuit.

There were no injuries in the two crashes that occurred during the course of the pursuit.

The Augusta County Sheriff's Office assisted state police during the pursuit.