Court Sets Bond In City Hit-And-Run Case

HARRISONBURG — A Rockingham County judge granted a bond Friday for a Harrisonburg man who witnesses say terrorized their quiet neighborhood last month by speeding, driving recklessly and sideswiping several cars.

 

Ross H. Hosaflook, 33, was charged on Dec. 17 with two counts of assault on a police officer, two counts of brandishing a firearm, one count each of hit-and-run, reckless driving, drunk in public and violating a protective order.

 

During Friday’s hearing in Rockingham County Circuit Court, Judge James Lane was hesitant about granting bond, but set one at $10,000 secured.

 

“There’s a lot of irrational conduct here that I don’t understand,” Lane said.

 

Neighbors reported that Hosaflook was driving a Cadillac Escalade erratically on Chestnut Drive, High Street and other nearby streets at about 6:30 p.m. the day of his arrest. Police say he sideswiped several cars in the process.

 

Police spotted the sport utility vehicle in the 200 block of Ohio Avenue and identified the suspect as Hosaflook. Officers found him in front of his home, where the SUV was located.

 

Police say he initially displayed a weapon, later determined to be a .22-caliber pellet gun.

 

At the hearing, Cpl. C. Grubbs of the Harrisonburg Police Department said he called in the department’s SWAT team because of Hosaflook’s history. In previous dealings with the defendant, he said, officers recovered an AK-47.

 

“I was afraid for my life,” he testified. “I told him to drop the weapon numerous times.”

 

The day after his arrest, officers searched his home at 231 Ohio Ave. looking for weapons. As part of a previously filed protective order, according to the affidavit for the search warrant, Hosaflook is banned from possessing weapons.

 

During the search, police seized four crossbows, several knives, including three throwing knives, three hatchets and a collapsible baton.

 

Police say a neighbor has a protective order filed against Hosaflook.

 

Hosaflook’s defense attorney, Aaron Graves, told Lane that Hosaflook should be granted bond because his actions on Dec. 17 weren’t violent.

 

“We don’t have a complaint that he was threatening anyone; we have a complaint of reckless driving,” he said.

 

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Christopher Bean disagreed.

 

“This man is dangerous,” Bean said. “He’s made his neighbors fear him.”

 

Hosaflook, previously held without bond by order of a Rockingham County General District Court judge, appealed to circuit court to have a bond set.

 

He is scheduled to appear in general district court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

 

Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com