A 17-year-old from Martinsville, Virginia, was at the center of a disturbing incident on January 21 that resulted in multiple charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

The teenager, whose name has not been disclosed due to being a minor, allegedly engaged in a series of dangerous actions following a domestic dispute.

Authorities initially responded to a call regarding a domestic disturbance involving the teenager and his mother at their residence on Hundley Street. As tensions escalated, the teenager reportedly attempted to flee the scene in the family vehicle. However, when one of the responding officers arrived at the location, the teenager allegedly intentionally struck the officer’s vehicle head-on.

Martinsville Police Chief Rob Fincher described the officer’s encounter with the speeding vehicle as a complete surprise.

“When the officer got struck, he had no idea why this vehicle was coming towards him. He was just stopped in the road,” Fincher told WSET News.

The chief wished that the situation could have been resolved without resorting to violence.

“In an ideal world that family dispute could have been handled without cars being struck, without people being injured.”

The impact of the collision resulted in the officer sustaining minor injuries and being transported to the hospital for treatment. Fortunately, Fincher confirmed that the officer is recovering well and has returned to duty.

Following the collision, the teenager fled the scene on foot but was apprehended by another officer after a brief chase. The juvenile is currently being held at a juvenile detention center.

The charges against the teenager are extensive and serious, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, felony hit-and-run, felony strangulation on a family member, felony assault and battery, larceny of a vehicle, malicious wounding and providing false identification to avoid prosecution.

Fincher explained that the charges stem from various incidents that occurred throughout the day, including the domestic dispute and the confrontation with law enforcement.

Efforts are underway to ensure that the teenager is held accountable for his actions. Fincher revealed that the Commonwealth attorney, Andrew Hall, is seeking to have the juvenile tried as an adult.

Martinsville is located in southern Virginia near the North Carolina border.