Petersburg man ID'ed as suspect in vehicle pursuit, fatal car crash

Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index
Updated ·2 min read
This map shows the starting and ending points of a Prince George Police pursuit Friday, July 28, 2023. According to police reports, the chase began on state Route 36 near Fort Gregg-Adams and ended two miles later at the intersection of Oaklawn Boulevard and Ashland Street in Hopewell.
This map shows the starting and ending points of a Prince George Police pursuit Friday, July 28, 2023. According to police reports, the chase began on state Route 36 near Fort Gregg-Adams and ended two miles later at the intersection of Oaklawn Boulevard and Ashland Street in Hopewell.

HOPEWELL — An attempt to stop a Petersburg man for reckless driving was the catalyst for a police pursuit and subsequent traffic crash that resulted in the death of a Florida man in Hopewell over the weekend.

Authorities said the suspect, 34-year-old Tequan Devon Taylor, fled the crash scene on foot and has not yet been located.

The pursuit began after a Prince George Police officer clocked the driver of an eastbound Dodge pick-up truck at 67 mph in a 45 mph zone around 11:40 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Sisisky and Oaklawn boulevards between Fort Gregg-Adams and the Hopewell city line, county police spokesperson Alexis Grochmal said in an email to The Progress-Index. Grochmal said the officer tried to stop the truck, but the driver kept going.

In Virginia, driving at least 20 miles over the speed limit is considered reckless driving.

About two miles later, the fleeing truck ran a red traffic light at the intersection of Oaklawn Boulevard and Ashland Street and slammed into a Toyota Camry. The impact of the crash spun the car into one of the traffic light poles, killing its driver, 45-year-old Andre Bassett Jr. of Jacksonville, Florida. The truck overturned.

After the crash, the driver of the pick-up, later identified as Taylor, abandoned the truck and ran away.

The Virginia State Police, which is investigating the crash at the request of Hopewell Police, have filed charges against Taylor in the case. It was not immediately known what those charges were.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or been in the area at that time to come forward with information. That info can be shared by calling (804) 609-5656, hitting #77 on a mobile phone or emailing questions@vsp.virginia.gov. 

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg man ID'ed as suspect in vehicle pursuit, fatal car crash