Police took Jeffery Wayne Shifflett into custody after a high-speed chase down Rt. 20 South yesterday afternoon, the Daily Progress reports. Albemarle police spotted him on Monticello Road and radioed ahead to Charlottesville police to coordinate the chase. Shifflett refused to pull over, and fled south on 20. He called 911 to report that he would drive to his sister’s house and surrender there. Twenty minutes after the chase began he was arrested on President’s Road, presumably his sister’s house.
Jeffery Shifflett is the older brother of Elvis Shifflett, who was recently arrested after a chase that also ended on 20 South. Shifflett the younger is now in the hospital after being shot repeatedly by police after he refused to surrender, a mistake that his brother did not repeat, or at least stopped repeating after twenty minutes of doing so. Shifflett was wanted in Albemarle, Charlottesville, Madison and Greene for theft, burglary, and probation violation, but it was his alleged threat against police after the shooting of his brother that made him particularly popular with area police in the past week. NBC 29’s Paul Merrill has an interview with one family allegedly a victim of Shifflett’s crimes, who say that they feel the world is a safer place today, but they’re still thinking of moving to a new house just to leave behind the memories of the burglary and ransacking of their home.
I hope that this guy doesn’t get a lot of flack or grief from the judge for not pulling over immediately because I can actually see where he was coming from. His brother had just been shot by the police despite being unarmed (yes, I know that they still had good cause). He’s in a frame of mind where he feels like he has to think the worst of the police. If I were in Jeffrey Shifftlet’s shoes I would not have pulled over right away.
He obviously wanted to surrender in the presence of friendly witnesses to avoid any chance of excessive force being used. That’s totally reasonable.
It would have made a bit more sense to surrender at a friendly place prior to being chased by police.
Indeed.
why is it that the benny hill theme song starts playing in my head every time i read a story about these rubes?
Like such?
After they arrested him, the coppers let his mom come out and give him a cig in the patrol car. (Daily Progress, but not a direct quote!)
This fits in with the whole Shifflett Klan and there loyalty to each other no matter what they have done. JS wanted nothing more than to return his sister’s car to her, like he said he would. His last words to his family were “see I brought your car back like I said I would.’ This lends a pretty good insight into the family. Yes, she trusted a wanted dangerous felon with her car and he promised to bring it back, and when it came down to the end, his Girlfrined called 911 and told them where they were going and why. I know I have said things that are negative about JS and ES previously, but I find his actions with regards to his sisters car, oddly, kind of honorable. This charge should be dismissed.
Which charge?
Jessica Bradley e-mailed me, asking me to post the following here on her behalf:
Of course, they could have turned themselves in. Then, they wouldn’t have to worry about the police chasing after them. It’s not unheard of for people who are charged with a crime(s) and being sought by police yet maintain their innocence turn themselves in (of course, an attorney is usually involved). None of this would have happened.
felony eluding
Come on. Let’s be honest. You don’t take police on a high speed chase if you want to turn yourself in peacefully. It puts you, police and others at risk. If you are an honest man you don’t threaten police, you turn yourself in or if you are a smart man you leave town. Apparently Jeffrey Shifflett is neither honest or smart. And if you are his girlfriend and you know he is wanted, don’t ride around in a car with him. Let’s drop the “I am the victim” routine.
See, I would think the exact opposite. I imagine that the police would go “by the book” in dealing with Jeffery Shifflett due to all the media attention they’re getting after shooting Elvis.
There’s that past tense again…
I feel as though some people are trying to paint the Shifflett brothers as Jean Valjean types. A good person wouldn’t rob houses (and destroy everything in the process, regardless of value). A good person wouldn’t initiate a high speed chase with police. A good person most certainly wouldn’t put an innocent family member in harm’s way, something both brothers did by having young relatives with them when they were on the lam.
How dangerous can you really be with your GF on the cell phone to police and you are driving a car with “yorkees” on the LIC plate. Should he have pulled over? Yes. But considering the decisions he has made over the past year this might have been the best one.
One of the police captains is quoted in the Progress saying:
Regardless of the vanity plate on the car he was driving (not sure how that’s related), someone could have been hurt in the course of the 20 minute chase Shifflett initiated yesterday. Neverme already posted as much above.
Also, if Shifflett thought the police were out to do him harm, I would think he’d want to keep loved ones out of the perceived line of fire.
Jeannine, while I mostly agree with you, I do take issue with your statement that “A good person wouldn’t initiate a high speed chase with police”. I feel that there are times that a person may be justified in fleeing from the authorities. Of course, whether Jeffery was justified or not is a different matter, and I don’t think I have enough information about it to make a decision.
The eluding is just one more way to not listen to the police, not listening to police is the entire problem with the family.
Question, the girl friend and sister KNEW Jeffery was a “wanted” person and still helped him, why are they not charged with aiding and abetting?
Aiding & Abetting now come on. If you had a family member (brother) that was wanted would you turn them in. I DON’T THINK So. Exspecialy after what had happen to Elvis. I am so glad that there are so many perfect people in this world.
scrubs>>> yes, aiding and abetting a known criminal.
One question, do you enjoy living in a community that has high-speed car chases and guns being pointed in ‘others’ faces?
…..
Why are you making the arrest (either) seem so harmless?
It’s almost as if you should have been arrested too, as you are clearly in denial of any wrong-doing done by ES and JS.
I don’t want to have to live in a community with this much violence, and for once, think that the police were well entitled to use the force and manner to subdue both ES and JS. Besides you, has ANYONE stood up for these brothers as being ‘outstanding members of this community’? (not lately….) There is just a significant lack of evidence supporting your cause.
Tito, Clearly that you have been reading and watching statements that the rest of have not. For 1 Elvis was not waving a gun in everyone’s face (just his ex-girlfriend) that was the cause of him getting shot down like an “ANIMAL”, she should be so proud of herself. If you want to be living in a “COMMUNITY” with “NON VILOENCE” and without “CAR CHASING” pack your stuff up and head to an Island where you can have just that because you will be “ALL ALONE” YOU JERK!!!! What’s the difference in Elvis and Jeffery putting the police on a high speed pursuit when a Sergeant on our police force did that same thing while off duty and wrecking his vechile. Do your research on your police department that you seem to think “VERY HIGHLY OF” before you put judgment on others. For your statement that I too must have been in jail, since that I’m in denial of my Uncle’s wrong doings. Well, no I have “NEVER” been jailed, that’s why for one other statement that “IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY” is just not true. I’m not stating that my Uncles are perfect in any way, yes they both have done things that they are not proud of, but who has not made mistakes in their lives. I forgot that yes Austin (another replier) is perfect, maybe you fall into that catergory as well. NOT!!!!!!
“What’s the difference in Elvis and Jeffery putting the police on a high speed pursuit when a Sergeant on our police force did that same thing while off duty and wrecking his vechile. ” – quoted from scrubs
If I follow your logic….
Two wrongs, make it any more acceptable? You are deeply mistaken. The police are protecting citizens like myself and others from violence, so we don’t have to move away from crimes and violence in our community (i.e. cops arresting shiffletts.)
In fact, weren’t you the one who stated that after the robbery (which you admitted to Jeffery committing on your family’s house), you wanted to move? Maybe it’s time to start packin’
I don’t think family members are usually charged with aiding and abetting, unless they actively helped commit a crime (as opposed to merely providing shelter.) That goes along with not being forced to testify against a family member.
Tito, Clearly you have me mistaken with someone else. Again do “RESEARCH” before you make such statements. I never stated that Jeff broke in to my home and I wanted to move. Please post that in your next reply I find very interesting that you have read something that no one else has. Jeff was never a threat to me or my family (matter of fact if you read carefully you would know that Jeff is my Uncle). I never defended him in breaking into people’s home, that was wrong and I will be one of the first to admit that. I feel no need to start packing up my belongings and getting out of town. For the statement that the police are here for our protection, well if they are out here shooting innocent bystanders then I don’t need that kind of protection. I’m not just referring to what happened to Elvis, I’m also referring to the write up that was in the Daily Progress yesterday (Sun. 10/29), when the police were on a shooting (killing) spree for the past few years. My uncle is in the UVA Hospital fighting for his life, because of this so called “POLICE PROTECTION”. Just so that you know Tito: I AM NOT OR HAVE I EVER BEEN A SHIFFLETT, BUT I DO HAVE SHIFFLETT BLOOD IN MY VEINS AND VERY PROUD OF IT!!!!!!
Far from perfect, just Law Abiding!!!
What if there would have been an accident when they were on Route 20 (which I use everyday) during the chase? Who would be at fault? Should the police just stop the chase because a fugitive tells them he is going to give up at “his” location?
Maybe it should be harboring a fugitive instead of Adding and Abeting.
apology for mistaking your identity.
i made one assumption and it was that ‘scrubs’ was the unidentified person in this article. http://www.nbc29.com/global/story.asp?s=5596984
i’m probably not the only one who thinks this way, but as of now, i stand corrected. scrubs is not a shifflett, but may be an inlaw. it is hard to tell from your last post.
regardless of this mistaken identity, i don’t have any more patience for the absolute disregard of the law by both ES and JS, and their family. Specifically the high-speed chase, separate from the incident @ court square and the incident of the break-in.
i was simply stating my support for ‘our local law enforcement’, which our community clearly needs. if you don’t agree with me, fine, it’s your right to think whatever you’d like. the beauty of free speech.
in all honestly, there will only be 12 opinions that really matter, hopefully they make the right decision to keep these individuals off the streets of charlottesville.
again my apology for mistaken identity, it’s 100% honest mistake.
Scrubs, your writing is extremely hard to understand. Perhaps it would be best to compose your thoughts in Word and paste them in after using the grammar and spell check.
Anyway, I went and found the article about which you wrote. The story says we have had seven shooting incident in Charlottesville and Albemarle County in the past decade. While seven in ten years is not ideal, it hardly constitutes “a shooting (killing) spree”. None of the cases cited mention an “innocent bystander” being shot.
Sorry, I’m on scrub’s side here. Unless you have been at the hostile end of a police encounter it is hard to understand what happens. Usually I get off easy (no ticket for expired sticker, etc.) because I am polite and don’t look dangerous. But I witnessed an extremely ugly encounter between Cville cops and an interracial couple just off the Downtown Mall last month. I saw and heard the whole thing from beginning to end, from twenty feet away, and the couple was not at all hood-looking. In fact, they looked like propserous UVa students. The main cop causing all the problems was a young guy with a crewcut, on steroids by all appearances (couldn’t stand still, etc.).
You’ve got to understand the the police have become much more militant in force-protection in the last decade. What used to be SWAT-team tactics now seem to be standard for all officers. There’s a reason for that; they can’t expect people they arrest to generally act civilized, as in days of yore. But the over-the-top raging approach is none too pretty and often unjust.
As far as the Dukes of Hazard go, they f’ed up and continued to f up until the final arrest, but if you think that guy was not afraid of getting shot by the cops you’re crazy. Because he was shot. Boss Hogg has an AR-15 these days.
Forgive me, I don’t know how to use the quote function.
Scrubs, these statements pretty much sum up why you are not winning sympathy in this thread:
[quote]For 1 Elvis was not waving a gun in everyone’s face (just his ex-girlfriend) that was the cause of him getting shot down like an “ANIMAL”, she should be so proud of herself. If you want to be living in a “COMMUNITY” with “NON VILOENCE” and without “CAR CHASING” pack your stuff up and head to an Island where you can have just that because you will be “ALL ALONE” YOU JERK!!!![/quote]
You seem to absolve Elvis assaulting his ex-girlfriend and you also blame the victim for Elvis’ actions. “Waving a gun” in anyone’s face is a felony, let alone your girlfriend or ex-girlfriend. The community has a right to have peace on the street without fear of angry guy with a gun. You also defend Jeffrey for leading a chase. He probably didn’t want to go in. That didn’t give him the right to endanger other drivers on the road. Again, the community has the right to have safe streets without the fear of a high speed chase happening down a narrow, country road.
If you want sacrifice public safety for bedlam and abandon so that your family members do not have to account for their crimes, you are not doing any favors for your family or the community of which you are a member. This isn’t the Wild West. If you want respect for your family, stop defending your uncles’ crimes. Stop blaming the police for doing their job to protect the community at large. Stop avoiding the fact that both of your uncles have responsibility for how and when they were captured. Stop compromising your love for your family and your own responsibility as a member of the Charlottesville/Albemarle community.
Instead, back them up for being the men you know, and support them as they progress through the justice system. You might consider that you value the same community that your uncles’ crimes threatened. Certainly the repercussions have affected your family and you’re probably feeling singled out and alone (I think I would). It’s really just Elvis and Jeffrey who need to own up, not an entire family.
I am a law abiding citizen and I am glad that Jeff Shifflett was apprehended without anyone getting hurt. I am troubled by the disconnect in this thread between Scrubs and some of the other posters. Is it necessary to be so snotty to someone expressing loyalty to relatives (obviously maternal uncles)? “Shfflett Klan”, “rubes”, etc. are examples of prejudice against long time locals which should be considered unacceptable, as should attacking the character of a large family because two people in that family are in trouble. And it is flat out rude to suggest that another adult’s writing skills are inferior and should be put through Word. I believe I am in danger of developing a prejudice myself- maybe there really are a lot of self-important types in this sweet little college town.
Is scrubs and adult?
Regardless, I think she’d be better received if she were more coherent and without attitude. Her posts in response to Tito are as worthy of the “snotty” label as mine about her grammar are.
Oops…is scrubs AN adult. If only I had used Word…
There are several issues at work here. Yes it is true now and it has been true for a long time that Shifflett’s have been disproportionately represented on the General District and Circuit Court Dockets. They have truly earned the phrase two F’s two T’s, twice the fun double the trouble. For as long as one can remember there has been, shall we say, a distrust or predisposition to not like each other between some of the local, more colorful families like the Shiffletts and the police. Since these families have their home places out in the County their problems are typically with the ALbemarle PD. And yes, when a Shifflett gets pulled over their car more likely to be searched or they detained for an extended period of time due to this history. Incidents like these only serve to reinforce the long held beliefs by all involved parties and increases the likelihood of further violence and bad decision making.
Jessica Bradley e-mailed me again for this thread, writing:
I must add that other AOL users have reported that they’re just not getting their account passwords e-mailed to them. This is because of AOL’s spam filtering, which seems to be way overzealous. If this is a problem for you, please just e-mail me about the problem and I’ll take care of it.
Sylvia, I’m not trying to win in sympathy votes. I never defended Jeff for his crime of breaking into homes. Yes, I do and will continue to defend the chase that Jeff lead the police on as well as Elvis’ crime. If Jeff had not used his sister’s car he would still be on the run. You don’t know Jeff as I do, if he didn’t want to be caught the police would not have caught him. As for the statement is Scrubs an adult well, matter of fact “SHE” is. I know that this is not the “WILD WEST” I never stated that it is was. I just stated that if you want to live in a community without violence or car chasing then go to an island where there you will be alone. You stated that we have the right to have peace on our streets. I do agreee with that. Like it or not we’re living in a community where it’s not crime proof, even with my Uncles’ in custody. Some many of you just believe that these two men are “MONSTERS” and that’s not true at all. These men would do anything to help you, give you the shirt off of their backs (true Jeff’s may not have been his but he wouldn’t mind giving it to you). But as I have stated before you hear and see what the media and police want you to hear. Anyone who knows Elvis had only good things to say about him, everyone who knows him loves him. Elvis reminds me of a BIG TEDDY BEAR you just want to cuddle up against. But none of you know that side of him and you never will. You don’t know our family and you are just judging the family especially Elvis and Jeff from what you hear or see. I wouldn’t wish this on any of you (what this family is going through) but maybe if it did happen to your family you would see where this family is coming from, maybe then you wouldn’t be so quick to judge. Slyvia, you had stated that you wanted peace on the streets (no violence or car chasing) you never mentioned the rape. What about the rapist that has been raping the women near UVA, is it okay for him to be still out on our streets. NO!! Maybe the police need the man power to catch him as they used for my Uncle Elvis. WHO WAS NOT A THREAT!! Again, this family isn’t asking or begging for anyone’s sympathy we just want people to stop judging this family when you know nothing about us. I do hope that is up to your standard Jeannie, I know that you’re sitting back and proof reading this. Is just me that you proof read or is all the repliers?
scrubs:
“Again, this family isn’t asking or begging for anyone’s sympathy we just want people to stop judging this family when you know nothing about us.”
The only thing we know about your family is that there have been two car chases within the city of Charlottesville and the county of Albemarle (because that’s what I saw with my own eyes and what I’ve read in the newspaper.) History has also given us insight as to what the family name Shifflett means, but everyone is entitled to fair and equal treatment, so enough with that logic.
And we also know the ‘select’ details that you’ve shared with us throughout this thread. If you’d like to make a statement or inform us of new information, call a newspaper or a TV station and go on the record. Better yet, head on down to Court Sq. and make a statement to the city/county clerk. Oh wait, you don’t tust newspapers and local media because they are incorrectly reporting the news. I guess your SOL then.
Futhermore, to ask someone to ‘not judge another’ is quite unrealistic. While we’d all like to admit that we are ‘non-judgemental’, it is impossible to not form some opinion without all the facts. That’s why we place value on a judicial system. We have, as citizen’s of the United States, entrusted the judgement of our peers to either a jury or a judge (depending on the type of trial.)
There is not much more to talk about on this thread. Scrubs you are apparently standing up for your family (directly or indirectly?) and I’m glad that you support your family. But to drag this on, and to include your emotions, our discussion can go but so far…
“And yes, when a Shifflett gets pulled over their car more likely to be searched or they detained for an extended period of time due to this history. “
Holy cow! Call the ACLU because now we have “Shifflett Profiling”. Give me a break.
I wonder if “Larry the Cable Guy” will come and protest.
Tito: First I would like to thank you for the apology yesterday over the mis-understanding about the home break in. We are not going anywhere with who is right who is wrong. You have the right to feel as you do and so try to understand that I also have the same right. Yes I get upset and I start replying to those I feel that does not want to even try to understand what this family have been going through. No E.S should had never pulled a gun on anyone(no matter what kind of gun) yes he should had went to court on the 13th, but he didn’t. I still feel with so many law enforcemens, dogs, etc, it could had been handle without any shooting. As far as car chasing no matter why or what the reason is it’s a risk for everyone on the road, but I’m going by the girlfriend’s statement that she was on the phone with 911. I have Never tried to take up for any break -ins and I had stated before that J.S needed to be in jail. These are my uncles and therefore I love them. We are not proud of any of this and maybe if E.S was not fighting for his life I would have handle this alot better. He has and will always be my favorite uncle. The name Shifflett is like any other name and therefore no one should feel that all shifflett breaks the law. It is so happen that E.S and J.S. are my mother’s brothers. I have to see how hurt my mother is over her young brother fighting for his life and she is not allow to see him and (yes I love my mom with everything in me), and then I get highly upset and it is unfair to take it off on any of you. (You have your right to say.) and I’m sure that my mother would be very upset.
I am not a Shifflett, but my mother was before she married my dad. I hope that this will clear up any words or comments that have been made.
but you have no control of
I’m sorry I was going to say you have a choice to pick your friends, but you don’t have no control with the family which you are borned in.
thank you waldo for the email back its good to know there are still some people out there with a heart. as jeffs girlfriend i am not taking up for anything he may have done but i do know for a fact he hasnt done many of these things…that recording on the news as an example…the woman was not present when her house was broken into so therefor she did not see jeffery do such a thing. all i am asking is for people not to judge someone by alot of hearsay. that is what many are doing. as for a “high speed” chase i dont really call 80 high as i do that myself when i see oppurtunity…there were not any accidents and he only passed cars when he saw a chance….when the operator asked him to slow down he slowed down to a remarkable 40 on a road he has driven and knows like the back of his hand…hell i wouldnt even do 40 on a road like that….some of you say how you are law abiding citizens but you are not polite in any way and that also makes our communities ugly and non-prosperous….i dont even know you scrubs but i do love your uncle so if ya need me you know where i am at
80 mph is not a high speed? holy cow. if this was on the interstate, I could see that statement as defensible…but any other road, I’m sorry, that’s outrageous IMO.
okay cecil…i see what you are trying to say but in most eyes outrageous is anything jeff ever did. he gave himself up and some said it was outrageous…and when i said 80 i meant it was roughly between 70-80…im not sayin an exact speed as i was kinda busy talking to operators…thats the part they wont say on the news or in the paper, how he gave himself up willingly he just wanted to be in the eyes of loved ones and witnesses…and seeing as what happened to his brother i would want to be where people could see me too. and if you do the actual speed limit on any other road than a interstate more power to you because your foot must be very light.
I received the following e-mail from Billy Shifflett, who asked that I post it: