Montgomery pleads guilty to two counts of attempted capital murder

By Aila Boyd

aboyd@ourvalley.org

Chad Montgomery, 40, of Covington, pled guilt to two counts of attempted capital murder on a police officer, a felony alluding charge, an assault and battery charge, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm while in possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of attempted capital murder on July 3.

The charges were the result of a 10-hour standoff in Troutville that occurred in the fall of last year.

Montgomery was sentenced to two life sentences plus 30 years, all of which will be suspended after he serves 25 years.

Botetourt County Commonwealth’s Attorney John Alexander said that the plea agreement was reached on July 2. The trial was originally schedule for July 10.

Alexander described Montgomery as being a “many times over convicted felon.”

The incident occurred on September 26, 2018 when a member of the Virginia State Police attempted to stop a vehicle that Montgomery was driving that was traveling southbound on Interstate 81. The vehicle promptly sped up rather than pulling over, weaving its way through traffic.

At one point during the pursuit, the vehicle slammed on its brakes, causing the pursuing officer to rear-end the vehicle.

The vehicle eventually took the 156 exit ramp, but then returned to the interstate without slowing down. Later on, the vehicle crossed the median and started driving southbound in the northbound lanes of the interstate. After doing so for roughly half a mile, Montgomery abandoned the vehicle and fled into a neighborhood on foot.

Alexander explained that the area was “saturated with officers,” one of which found a home where the door had been kicked in. Upon entering the home, officers heard a noise coming from the upper level that led them to believe that Montgomery was moving furniture. As it turned out, Montgomery was in fact barricading the door to an upstairs bedroom.

Attempts to negotiate with him were ultimately unsuccessful, which led the State Police to attempt to breach the room with a ram. Due to how well barricaded the door was, the ram did nothing more than create a hole in the door.

Then, officers threw a “stinger,” a diversionary device, into the room, prompting Montgomery to fire shots through the door. The officers returned fire.

After the exchange of shots, the officers used a pole camera to look inside the room. They found that Montgomery was in a crouched position, pointing his firearm at the door, which prompted them to start firing shots inside the room again.

Montgomery wasn’t injured during both times that officers fired shots into the room, Alexander said, due to how well the door was barricaded.

In total, the standoff lasted 10 hours and ended after officers deployed a strong gas through a window in the room that caused him to surrender.

Upon searching the room, officers found a handgun and methamphetamine.

Alexander noted that the assault and battery charge was the result of Montgomery slamming on his brakes, causing the State Police officer to rear-end his vehicle.