Man sentenced to prison for police evasion and illegal firearm possession

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 44-year-old man was sentenced to serve one year and four months in prison for evading police and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Nov. 17, 2022, Lamont Lyman Malone was driving at a high rate of speed westbound on Interstate 64 and making unsafe lane changes, which resulted in a Virginia State Police trooper pulling him over. Malone claimed that he was enroute to a hospital in another city to attend a childbirth and informed the trooper that he was on probation. As the trooper was running Malone’s information, he drove off.

Malone continued driving off the interstate onto Granby Street, accelerated at a high rate of speed, passed multiple vehicles by driving off the road onto grassy areas, made additional unsafe lane changes and ran a red light at the intersection with Bayview Boulevard. The trooper did initially consider pursuing Malone but decided not to due to high traffic and instead slowly canvassed the area.

The trooper noticed Malone’s vehicle crashed into a tree in the median at the intersection of Granby Street and Dupre Avenue. Malone had taken off running, according to a witness. Since the driver’s door was open, the trooper searched the abandoned vehicle and found a firearm in the center console, which he is prohibited from possessing.

Malone entered an agreement on Oct. 8 to plead guilty to felony eluding and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea agreement called for Malone to serve one year and four months in prison and have another three years and eight months suspended conditioned on him completing two years of uniform good behavior. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Malone’s plea agreement and sentenced him per the agreement.

“Mr. Malone endangered himself, the trooper, and everyone around him by eluding the police, and Mr. Malone should never have been in possession of a gun,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We will continue to hold accountable people who possess weapons illegally and who endanger the people around them.”

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