FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — A 37-year-old man wanted on charges from Chesterfield County and a bystander were shot by deputies at a Fredericksburg gas station Saturday night, according to authorities.
Deputies with the Spotsylvania County Street Crimes Task Force were trying to arrest Lawrence D. Toler II of Woodford at a gas station in the 3000 block of Plank Road at 8:50 p.m. when officials with Virginia State Police said he tried to drive away.
"As deputies approached the suspect's vehicle, [he] attempted to flee and backed into a deputy's vehicle," Sgt. Brent W. Coffey with Virginia State Police wrote. "Toler then pointed a firearm at a deputy when multiple deputies discharged their service weapons."
Both men were taken to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. Toler remained hospitalized Sunday with life-threatening injuries while officials said the bystander was treated and released.
A firearm was recovered from the scene, but officials said there was no indication that Toler fired his weapon.
Toler was wanted in Chesterfield on warrants of abduction, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to officials with Chesterfield Police.
Those warrants were from an incident in October where police said Toler and another man abducted a victim, took him to another location and then robbed him.
That victim, who officials said knew this suspect, was not injured, according to a police department spokesperson.
"The investigation remains ongoing," Coffey said. "Once state police completes its investigation, the criminal investigative file will be turned over to the Fredericksburg Commonwealth’s Attorney for review and adjudication."
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 540-829-7400 or email bci.culpeper@vsp.virginia.gov.
