A man wanted by the FBI who crashed on Interstate 81 fleeing state troopers in February has been indicted on state and federal weapons and drug charges. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
On February 9, according to court records and police statements, a Virginia State Police special agent working with an FBI task force was looking for a white Hyundai Tucson being driven by Corey Potter, a 30-year-old Philadelphia man who was wanted in Baltimore County, Maryland on charges of robbery, assault, theft, and impersonating a police officer. The special agent was parked at the exit 195 ramp onto I-81 North in Rockbridge County when he spotted Potter and followed. Other state troopers joined the pursuit, turning on their lights and sirens, and the Hyundai sped up, allegedly reaching speeds of 115 miles per hour.
Just south of Harrisonburg, the vehicle "attempted to split traffic" and struck a tractor trailer and pickup truck before overturning in the median. The incident stopped traffic for multiple miles in both directions. "For approximately 10 minutes, no movement was observed from or around the Hyundai," according to one FBI special agent's affidavit. Law enforcement called out to Potter and asked if he had any weapons in the vehicle, to which he said "yes." Officers then approached with a ballistic shield and handcuffed him.
I happened to be driving south on I-81 as this unfolded. I witnessed the vehicle resting on the driver's side in the median, with a man emerging from the passenger side window, his head and torso outside of the vehicle and his hands behind his back. Several state and local police and emergency vehicles were on scene.
Authorities say they took Potter to the hospital, and collected several bags of cocaine and other unidentified drugs from his car, three handguns including a Draco semi-automatic pistol, multiple magazines, nearly $15,000 in cash, and a fraudulent Drug Enforcement Administration badge. Potter has a 2015 conviction from Pennsylvania for two felony fleeing charges. He has been charged in federal court in Virginia with the prohibited possession of a firearm, and in Rockingham County with 10 felonies and four misdemeanors related to drug, weapons, and driving offenses.
Potter is scheduled to appear in federal court in Charlottesville on April 13.
