Charges certified after police chase

The Harrisonburg man arrested after a “highly charged” 12-minute police chase in October smirked and mouthed words to supporters in court Monday before a judge certified six felony charges against him to a grand jury.

Ian D. Kasdan, 26, rammed police cruisers and injured three officers in a chase through Waynesboro neighborhoods and the Kate Collins Middle School parking lot Oct. 6, authorities say. He caused $13,000 in damage to the cruisers, plowed his vehicle into a parked car and drove on after a policeman fired two shots at his wheels before being rammed to a stop on Ivy Street, where officers Tasered and arrested him, according to authorities.

Witnesses — many of whom dove to the ground when shots were fired in the Kate Collins parking lot — called the cinematic chase “circuslike” and frightening. Police launched an internal investigation into the pursuit and gunshots. They called the chase “restrained,” but found policy was violated when Officer Paul Johnson fired at the front wheel of Kasdan’s blue 1989 Toyota Camry station wagon.

Kasdan, with brown hair in a ponytail, appeared in Waynesboro General District Court in white-and-orange jail stripes Monday, turning frequently to smile at two women in the courtroom.

“I love you,” he mouthed silently before being led away.

He faces charges of assaulting and eluding police, causing damage and felony escape. Prosecutors did not press misdemeanor charges of driving with a suspended license and using identification of another to avoid arrest but could present those directly to the grand jury Jan. 12, said David Ledbetter, assistant commonwealth’s attorney.

The chase began when police pulled over Kasdan for a broken brake light and expired license plate, police said. Kasdan brandished a tire iron and backed his car into a police cruiser before speeding off, police said. Two officers drew guns but did not fire, police said.

Assisting officers tried to position themselves to deploy tire deflation devices during the chase but could not. Kasdan drove through the Tree Streets, downtown, Port Republic Road hill and the Mountain View Apartments lot near New Hope Road, police said.

Police and witnesses agreed: speeds never exceeded 45 mph.

In the middle school parking lot, Kasdan rammed his station wagon into one cruiser, backed the vehicle into another and attempted to ram the car into a third, police said. Witnesses reported one head-on collision. Kasdan drove toward the lot’s exit, where Johnson, on foot, shot twice toward the car’s wheels, failing to stop it, police said. The chase ended when police rammed the car near a large crowd on Ivy Street.

Court records show Kasdan pleaded guilty in Rockingham County in 2002 to breaking and entering with intent to commit robbery. Kasdan is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona.