A frantic manhunt is underway across Virginia for a 19-year-old suspect accused of a fatal interstate shooting that sent a car careening off the road in a burst of violence Thursday afternoon. The community of Bracey is on edge as law enforcement agencies, led by Virginia State Police, scour the state for Jason Allen Glidewell II, who is wanted on charges of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The chain of events began to unravel at approximately 3:45 p.m. on August 28. Troopers were dispatched to the five-mile marker on northbound Interstate 85 in Mecklenburg County following reports of a vehicle incident. What they discovered was far more sinister than a simple crash. A Honda Civic had veered off the right side of the highway and landed in a culvert.
Inside, they found the driver, 20-year-old Hunter A. Bates, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of first responders, Bates was pronounced dead at the scene. A female passenger, whose identity has not been released, was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released, leaving investigators to piece together the terrifying sequence of events from her account.
Authorities swiftly determined that this was not an accident. Investigators believe that prior to the crash, a shooting occurred involving another vehicle. Their investigation quickly zeroed in on Jason Allen Glidewell II as the suspect involved in the shooting that led to the tragic outcome.
Glidewell, of Bracey, Virginia, is now the subject of an intense search. He is described as a white male, 5 feet 7 inches tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. Police have issued a stern warning: he should be considered armed and dangerous. The public is urged not to approach him under any circumstances but to immediately contact law enforcement.
He is believed to be fleeing in a silver 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche with Virginia license plate TFN-1004. Adding to the urgency of the search, investigators state that Glidewell has known connections to the Richmond and Henrico County areas, broadening the scope of the manhunt across multiple jurisdictions.
Virginia State Police are pleading for the public’s assistance. Anyone with information on Glidewell’s whereabouts or who spots the suspect vehicle is urged to act immediately. Tips can be reported to the Virginia State Police Division III Dispatch at the toll-free tip line, 1-800-552-0962, or to the Division I Dispatch at (804) 750-8758.
As the search continues, the memory of Hunter Bates hangs over the investigation—a young life cut short on a stretch of highway, now the focus of a pursuit for justice.
