Outstanding Capias Arrest 4-9-16

Abingdon Police Department

For Immediate Release

On Saturday, April 9^th, 2016, Investigator J.M. Austin of the Abingdon Police Department located a vehicle being used by a fugitive from Russell County, Virginia in the 800 block of Edgemont North Street.  Investigator Austin parked a short distance from the vehicle and maintained surveillance of the area.  At approximately 12:30 PM, Austin observed a white male, who matched the description of the fugitive, exit a residence in the 800 block of Edgemont North Street. Investigator Austin contacted Officer J.T. Holbrook, who was operating an unmarked police car, and requested assistance from the officers on patrol. As officers positioned themselves in the neighborhood, Joshua Derek Brown, 34, of 257 Hidden Valley Road, Abingdon, Virginia, exited an apartment and walked to the apartment's mailbox.  At this point, Officer Holbrook and Investigator Austin approached the apartment and took Brown into custody without incident. 

Brown has evaded police since Sunday, March 27^th, 2016, when he was approached by an officer responding to a drinking in public call in the 300 block of Stanley Street. When the contact officer ran a wanted check on Mr. Brown, he fled on foot in an attempt to avoid capture on an outstanding capias from Russell County, Virginia.

Investigator Austin began monitoring Mr. Brown’s social media accounts and noticed that he was actively posting pictures from the Abingdon area, and making references to his extraordinary ability to evade capture. In one of the posts, Investigator Austin noticed a photograph of Mr. Brown seated in a vehicle with unique stripes on the hood. This is the vehicle that Investigator Austin found, leading to Brown’s capture.

Brown was transported to the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail and served with an outstanding capias from Russell County, Virginia, and a warrant for Obstruction of Justice from the March 27^th, 2016 incident.  Brown was remanded to the jail under a secure bond.

Pictured: Joshua Derek Brown, 34, of 257 Hidden Valley Road, Abingdon, Virginia. 

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