A Port Royal man is dead after speeding away from a traffic stop in South Stafford last night and crashing into a tree.

On April 24th at 8:12 p.m. a Stafford County Sheriff’s Office deputy was operating radar on Kings Highway in the area of Sherwood Forest Farm Road when a westbound Chevrolet Silverado passed by at 76 mph in the posted 55 mph zone. A traffic stop was initiated at Catfish Kelly’s Country Store, 661 Kings Highway.

The driver appeared to be stopping, but suddenly turned onto Little Falls Road and rapidly accelerated to approximately 80 mph. He continued the nearly one-half mile length of Little Falls Road and crashed into a tree. The driver, and sole occupant, was not seat belted and suffered fatal injuries from the crash. The Traffic Safety Unit responded to the scene and conducted the crash investigation.

The driver has been identified as Robert Riley, 27 and his driver’s license status was revoked, DUI related. The accident is still under investigation by our Traffic Safety Unit.