High speed chase brings year in prison

By Linda Cicoira

A North Carolina man who led police on a high-speed chase in June for miles down Lankford Highway and the back roads to Atlantic, where he crashed, was sentenced Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court to a year of active time in prison.

Twenty-four-year-old Jaheim Christian Alexander, of Deon Drive in Hubert, pleaded guilty to charges that included driving up to 100 miles per hour. Alexander lost control of the vehicle, drove through a few yards, struck a fence, a birdhouse, and a cement post before getting stuck.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox said when officers arrived, the defendant’s tires were spinning as he continued to attempt to flee.

Alexander was sentenced to five years, with all but a year suspended, for eluding, and five years, with all suspended, for felony property damage. The terms were set to run concurrently. The maximum punishment for the crimes is 10 years plus a $5,000 fine. He will be on supervised probation for two years and was ordered to pay restitution. The amount was not yet determined.

Police attempted to pull him over because a camera alerted them that Alexander was wanted in Pennsylvania. He told authorities that he was on his way there when he was apprehended. The out-of-state charge was also eluding.

In another case, 34-year-old Kenneth Tankard Short, of Onancock, was convicted of possessing cocaine on April 6, 2024, and failure to appear for a felony proceeding on Nov. 21, 2024. He was sentenced to a year in jail, with all but 30 days suspended for the drug charge, and a year with all but 10 days suspended for the other crime. The terms were set to run consecutively. He will be on good behavior for five years.