Virginia Beach, Va. - A Chesapeake man who is accused of crashing a car into a townhouse and then throwing a child over a fence went to court twice on Tuesday. He was then denied bond on Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday morning, 22-year-old Devonte Johnson went to juvenile court for the charges that stem from the accusation that he threw his girlfriend's 3-year-old son over a fence while trying to escape from the police.
On Tuesday afternoon, Johnson was on a video conference with a judge at the Virginia Beach Courthouse for several traffic violations.
According to state police, a trooper attempted to pull over a speeding vehicle on I-64 EB west of Indian River Road and Johnson sped off as the officer approached the car around 2:00 p.m. on October 10.
Johnson turned onto Peppermill Lane in Virginia Beach at a high speed and lost control of the 2013 Dodge Charger, striking the corner of a townhouse. When Johnson was told to put his hands in the air, police say he grabbed a child from the car and ran away.
Johnson then threw the child over a wooden fence and attempted to jump himself, but was caught by the trooper.
Devonte Johnson's cousin, Tiera Johnson, says, "He's not that type of person [that would say] 'I'm gonna throw this baby of the fence' just because they're trying to get away from the police."
His cousin says he would never intentionally harm the 3-year-old.
"I have been around him when he is with this 3-year-old, he never popped the child or did anything to intentionally to hurt the child," Tiera Johnson said. "I'm not thinking that he was in his right mind for it."
State police say the child suffered minor injuries, was taken to the hospital and then turned over to his mother.
People who live near the scene of the crash told NewsChannel 3 they were shocked.
Several of them took action to try to comfort the child by giving him a blanket and toys. They say he looked upset during the ordeal.
"The child looked terrified he was actually in the cops arms, looks like he was hugging him pretty tight," said Patrick Fancy, who lives near the area where the incident happened.
Johnson was charged with reckless driving, fleeing police, child endangerment, resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license on Saturday.
He was due in court again on Wednesday morning but was denied bond.
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