A Bassett man was killed in a car wreck Saturday night in Henry County after authorities said he fled from deputies who were trying to stop his vehicle in connection with a narcotics investigation.
Ernest Brian Brodie, 42, was driving a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica when Henry County Sheriff’s Office deputies tried to stop him, according to an email from Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Rob Carpentieri.
The reason for the original stop was “erratic driving,” according to a media release from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
“The van did not stop for the Deputy, but continued driving at a normal speed,” the release states. “A short period later, the vehicle accelerated in an attempt to get away from the Deputy.”
The driver of the vehicle then lost control in a curve and struck a tree on the side of the road, according to the release. Brodie was the only person in the vehicle.
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According to the email from Carpentieri, Brodie was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was taken to Memorial Hospital of Martinsville, where he was pronounced dead.
The Virginia State Police accident reconstruction team was called to assist in the investigation, which is ongoing.
According to the release from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, evidence was seized from the vehicle at the scene that will be sent to the state lab for narcotics testing.
