Suspect Wanted To 'Finish Cigarette Before Going To Jail': Sheriff

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — When asked why he fled from police and refused orders to stop, a Fredericksburg armed robbery suspect said he “wanted to smoke my cigarette before I went to jail,” according to authorities.

Stafford County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted around 8:08 p.m. Sunday that an armed robbery had just occurred in Fredericksburg at Express Food Mart located at 2010 Princess Anne St. The two suspects had driven away in a red pickup truck.

About a minute later, Deputy D.S. Jett, who was driving on Morton Road near Forbes Street, spotted a red pickup truck that was weaving between lanes coming toward his cruiser. After turning around, Jett began to pursue the truck and tried to make a traffic stop, but the pickup didn’t stop. Instead, the driver accelerated and fled on Primmer House Road and Riggs Road, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

When the truck reached Birney Court, it came to a stop and Jett issued commands to the driver and passenger, according to the sheriff’s office. The passenger fled on foot and the driver put his vehicle into reverse and sped off. Jett, who was joined by another deputy, continued to chase the truck.

Officers followed the truck into the cul-de-sac of Orange Blossom Court, where the pickup jumped the curb and drove between two homes before stopping, according to the incident report. After the deputies blocked the truck with their cruisers, Sgt. J.T. Forman threw pepper balls into the vehicle. When the driver got out of the truck, he was taken into custody.

The driver, identified as Jermaine Koonce, 32, of Callao, told the deputies he was driving under the influence. When asked why he didn’t stop, he told them he wanted to finish his cigarette before they took him to jail.

As Koonce was taken into custody, Sgt. B.U. Demirci deployed his K-9, Titan, to locate the passenger who ran away. Authorities used a drone in the search, too.

Eventually, they located the passenger — Dion Parker, 24, of Burgess — hiding in the woods behind the 200 block of Anderson Drive, according to the sheriff’s office. The K-9 apprehended Parker and he was taken into custody.

Fredericksburg Police said Koonce and Parker were the suspects wanted in Sunday’s armed robbery. Callao was charged with felony eluding, third-offense driving under the influence within 10 years, revocation of his license after multiple DUI convictions, two counts of reckless driving, driving while revoked, two counts of refusal, and failure to maintain the lane of travel.

Fredericksburg Police charged Koonce with using a firearm in the commission of a robbery, conspiracy of using a firearm in the commission of felony and driving after forfeiture of license.

After Burgess was treated for his K-9 bite, he was charged with eluding, destruction of property, and public intoxication, according to the incident report.

Fredericksburg Police also charged Burgess with using a firearm in the commission of a robbery, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and pointing/brandishing a firearm.

Both men were held in Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.