In September, Fairfax County police charged Josue Villalta, 23, of Washington, D.C., with stealing a Centreville man's 1994 Honda Civic. Released from jail three days later, when it came time for him to appear in court, he was nowhere to be found.
The incident occurred Sept. 1, around 9:30 p.m., in the 14300 block of Grape Holly Grove in the Newgate community. Police said the car's owner was taking a break from working on the vehicle when he saw it being driven away.
He called the police; patrol officers quickly spotted the stolen vehicle and gave chase. The suspect then crashed into a guard rail while on the exit ramp from Sully Road onto I-66 and fled on foot from the car. But he was soon apprehended, and police identified him as Villalta. They charged him with grand larceny, possession of burglary tools and misdemeanor hit and run.
On Sept. 4, he was released on $6,000 bond and was to have answered to these charges, Oct. 12, in General District Court. But when he didn't show up, Judge Robert Smith issued a bench warrant for his arrest on a charge of failure to appear.
Villalta was then given a new court date; he was scheduled for a preliminary hearing last Monday, Nov. 22. But when he again failed to show, Judge Donald McDonough issued a second warrant for his arrest on this charge and Villalta's name was placed in the legal system's fugitive file.
<tgl> — Bonnie Hobbs