BRISTOL, VA — An 18-year-old South Carolina man is facing an attempted aggravated murder charge after Bristol police say he led officers on a chase in a stolen Jaguar and allegedly drove toward a detective during a traffic stop.
The suspect, identified as Peyton Jack Finch of Gaffney, South Carolina, was taken into custody after a brief foot chase. Police say the investigation is still active, and they have not ruled out more charges.
The sequence began Thursday when a 2017 Jaguar XE was reported stolen from the 400 block of Carter Street. Investigators later linked Finch to the vehicle and to the incident that followed in Bristol.
Police say the chase began with a stolen 2017 Jaguar XE
According to investigators, the Jaguar was reported stolen from Carter Street before officers encountered the vehicle during a traffic stop. Police say Finch was behind the wheel when the stop turned into a pursuit.
During that stop, Finch allegedly accelerated toward a detective, forcing the officer to move aside to avoid being struck. The vehicle then fled the scene, setting off the rest of the chase through Bristol.
Police have not said what led officers to the Jaguar in the first place, but the stolen-car report and the later traffic stop became the central pieces of the case.
Two parked vehicles were hit on West State Street
As the Jaguar sped away, police say it struck two parked vehicles on West State Street before leaving the area. Authorities did not report injuries connected to those collisions.
The crash added another layer to the case already involving the alleged threat to a law enforcement officer. Investigators have treated the vehicle damage as part of the same sequence of events tied to the stolen Jaguar.
West State Street was the location where the fleeing car made contact with the parked vehicles, but police have not released further details about the extent of the damage.
Finch was arrested after a brief foot chase
After the vehicle fled and the incident unfolded on Bristol streets, officers located Finch and took him into custody following a short foot chase. Police said the arrest ended the immediate danger but did not close the investigation.
Finch is now being held as a fugitive from justice while he awaits extradition to Virginia. That status reflects the fact that the most serious charges against him were filed there.
Authorities have not said whether the Tennessee charges involve the same events, but they confirmed that he is also facing multiple counts in that state.
Virginia charges include attempted aggravated murder and grand larceny
In Virginia, Finch is charged with attempted aggravated murder of a law enforcement officer and grand larceny of a motor vehicle. Police also said he faces multiple charges in Tennessee, though they did not list them.
The attempted aggravated murder charge stems from the allegation that he drove toward the detective during the traffic stop. The grand larceny charge is tied to the stolen Jaguar XE.
Because Finch is being held as a fugitive from justice, the next step is likely to involve extradition proceedings. Police have not given a timeline for when that could happen.
Investigation remains open as police consider more charges
Bristol police said the case is still under investigation and that additional charges are possible. That means detectives are still reviewing the events surrounding the stolen vehicle, the traffic stop, the chase and the crash.
For now, the case spans two states and includes allegations involving a stolen car, a confrontation with a detective and damage to parked vehicles. Officials have not said whether anyone else was involved.
Police have released limited details, but the charges already filed show the seriousness of the allegations and the interstate path of the case as it moves forward.
