High-speed chase ends in fatality

A high-speed chase that began in Louisa County on Monday ended in a fiery fatality in Albemarle.

Louisa Sheriff’s Deputy Alonzo Arnette was on traffic patrol around 9:45 a.m. when he spotted a car without license tags, according to authorities. He turned on his lights but the driver refused to stop, instead fleeing west on Route 22.

During the seven-minute chase, the driver reached speeds of 80 mph and ran a red light at Route 22’s intersection with U.S. 15, authorities said. Shortly after crossing into Albemarle County, the driver veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The vehicle, a 1993 Geo Metro, then burst into flames.

Investigators believe the driver died on impact, and it will be up to a medical examiner in Richmond to determine the driver’s identity.