Pedestrian, 5 vehicles hit in chase

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - On March 29, 2012, two Portsmouth citizens called 911 when they say a man hit their car with his.

Police tried to stop the man in the 3300 block of High Street, but police say the suspect, later identified as Justin Thomas, took off when officers approached the vehicle. Police tried to approach the Thomas' stopped vehicle again in the 4000 block of George Washington Highway, but police say he evaded a second time.

According to Jan Westerbeck with Portsmouth Police, Thomas drove at a slow speed to the area of 2000 Greenwood Drive when he struck a pedestrian, three occupied vehicles and two police K-9 vehicles. Westerbeck said the K-9 officer had to jump out of the way of the Thomas' vehicle.

The pedestrian did not report an injury.

Police say a K-9 was sent after Thomas, who beat the dog with an object before he was bitten on the arm. After a struggle, police say they were able to arrest Thomas and take him to a hospital for his arm bite.

The dog was examined by a veterinarian and was found to be OK.

Thomas, 32, was charged on May 14, 2012 with assault and battery, resisting arrest, disarming an officer of a firearm stun-gun, injuring a police animal, failure to report an accident, malicious injury of a police officer, eluding police and  five counts of accident caused by a hit and run.