A man accused of leading police on a wild chase before crashing in Salem on Wednesday still is hospitalized — but police plan to charge him with six counts of aggravated attempted murder of an officer, Christiansburg officials announced Thursday.
A town statement identified Michael B. Lilly, 39, of Salem, as the driver who police said shot at pursuing officers while speeding up Interstate 81. Wednesday’s incident also involved terrifying a store clerk in Elliston and flight from officers in Christiansburg. Lilly crashed in Salem and was taken to LewisGale Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained in the wreck, the town statement said.
Officers have stayed with Lilly in the hospital but have not charged him yet, the statement said.
“Given that Lilly’s medical condition prohibits transporting him to a magistrate’s office, warrants have been obtained but have not yet been served,” the statement said.
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The town listed nine charges that Lilly would face: six counts of trying to kill officers and one count each of eluding police, brandishing a firearm and reckless driving. Additional charges are possible in Salem and Montgomery County as the investigation continues, the town statement said.
Each charge of attempted aggravated murder of an officer carries a potential punishment of life in prison.
According to the town’s statements Wednesday and Thursday, a Montgomery County emergency dispatcher got a call at about 2:25 p.m. Wednesday that a man had pulled a gun on a clerk at the Elliston Food Mart. The suspect drove away, heading west to Christiansburg, and town officers began to follow him.
A chase along the U.S. 460 bypass reached the Spradlin Farms shopping center, then the suspect turned and took the bypass back to I-81 and headed north to Salem. The suspect left the interstate at Exit 137, went up Main Street to Mill Lane, then turned onto Riverside Drive and crashed.
By this point officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Salem Police Department and Virginia State Police were involved in the pursuit.
“At several points … the suspect fired multiple shots out of the vehicle window, toward officers,” the statement that Christiansburg issued Wednesday said.
No officers were hit, and none fired their weapons, the town said.