Interstate pursuit nets DUI charges

STRASBURG -- A Tennessee man has been charged with felony eluding and driving under the influence of drugs following an 11-mile pursuit by state police Saturday on Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County.

State troopers take Bobby Thrasher, 52, of St. Joseph, Tenn., into custody Saturday afternoon following a pursuit on Interstate 81 that ended near Strasburg. Rich Cooley/Daily State police arrest this tractor trailer driver down on the pavement off 81 at mile marker 297 following a pursuit Saturday afternoon. Police used a rolling road block of cruisers in front of the tractor trailer to bring it to a stop. Rich Cooley/Daily

Bobby Thrasher, 52, of St. Joseph, Tenn., was taken to the Shenandoah County Jail, and a secured bond of $5,000 was set, according to trooper D.A. Dean.

Thrasher had not posted bond as of Saturday night, according to Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy C. Carter.

Dean said Thrasher was driving a 1996 Volvo tractor-trailer loaded with copper from Tennessee to Manassas when he was observed driving erratically on I-81.

The incident was dispatched at 1:16 p.m. to Dean, who said his pursuit of Thrasher began at mile-marker 286 and ended when Thrasher stopped in the right lane at mile-marker 297 near Strasburg after other troopers got in front of the truck to slow it down.

No injuries were reported and no other motorists appeared to be in danger, having stayed back from the pursuit, Dean said. I-81 was shut down for about 10 minutes in the vicinity of mile-marker 297, he said.

Thrasher was transported to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, where blood was drawn, Dean said. The lab results are pending. Thrasher had a prescription medication with him, Dean added.

The Strasburg Police Department assisted in the incident, Dean said.

-- Daily Staff Report