By Greg Jordan
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
GLEN LYN, Va. — A manhunt was launched Friday after a Virginia State Trooper was shot and injured while pursuing a suspect in a multi-county crime spree.
Trooper R.W. Hughes was serving a felony warrant at 3:39 p.m. on a resident in the Glen Lyn, Va., area when he encountered a suspect wanted in several Virginia counties, said Sgt. Michael T. Conroy, a spokesman for Division IV of the Virginia State Police.
When Hughes arrived at the subject’s residence, a vehicle containing Steven Dale Branscone, no age or address available, was sitting in the driveway, Conroy said. The vehicle left at a high rate of speed and Hughes pursued it.
Branscone has been sought in Wythe, Pulaski, Carroll and Floyd counties for his alleged connection in a spree of car thefts and breaking and entries, Conroy said.
The pursuit ended when Branscone wrecked his car and fled on foot, allegedly firing at Hughes with a handgun. Struck in the neck, Hughes retreated, Conroy said.
Hughes was treated and released at an area hospital, said Conroy, who stated that he did not know the name of the facility.
Authorities were using a global position tracking system to determine whether the scene of the shooting was in Virginia or West Virginia, Conroy said. If the shooting occured in Virginia, the West Virginia State Police will investigate it.
The search for Branscone was continuing Friday evening.