Man in trooper-involved shooting dies

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WAVY/ WWBT) - Virginia State Police are investigating a shooting that occurred Dec. 8 on I-95 that sent a state trooper and another man to the hospital.

According to Sgt. Thomas J. Molnar, state police were called to I-95 S at the 120 mile marker for reports of an abandoned 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. Molnar says the suspect, later identified as 32-year-old Herbert J. Wheeler, left the car and ran into a wooded area after a DMV special agent attempted to conduct a traffic stop.

Wheeler was being pulled over for reckless driving.  Police looked for Wheeler, but he was not found.

Sgt. Michelle Anaya with the Virginia State Police says Sr. Trooper M.H. Hamer responded to a call of a pedestrian on the interstate, around mile marker 116, and found Wheeler. After Wheeler was placed in the vehicle, he tried to take the trooper's weapon, Molner says.

The trooper was shot in the leg. As the struggled continued, Harner was able to return fire with another weapon.

The shooting happened in Caroline County at 3:24 p.m. Three Good Samaritans stopped to help the injured trooper, who was bleeding severely.

Hamer was transported to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg with serious, non-life threatening injuries.

Wheeler, was flown to Mary Washington Hospital with life-threatening injuries, but died of his injuries Friday.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Anaya says Hamer is assigned to Culpepper Division's Area 5 Office, encompassing Spotsylvania and Stafford counties.

The Virginia State Police and Criminal Investigation's Richmond Field Office is investigating the incident.