Covington, VA – According to Commonwealth Attorney, Ann Gardiner, Michael Julian Wolfe, 25, was
found guilty of second-degree felony murder and felony eluding a law enforcement
officer on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 in Alleghany County Circuit Court. Wolfe in a plea agreement, pled guilty to killing Randall Lee Tinsley, 26, in a motor vehicle crash while fleeing from a Clifton Forge police officer.

Alleghany County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Ann Gardner, summarized the
evidence in court Tuesday. On August 9, 2021, Officer Shawn Urban initiated a
traffic stop on a Subaru driven by Wolfe in the town of Clifton Forge. Wolfe ignored
the blue lights and siren. Instead of stopping, he fled onto Selma-Low Moor Road
at a high rate of speed. Wolfe lost control of the vehicle and slid through a curve on
the wrong side of the road causing him to collide with a moped driven by the victim,
Randall Tinsley. The crash was witnessed by Thomas and Sarah Burnette who
called 911. Wolfe sped away from the accident scene later crashing the Subaru and
fleeing on foot.

The Virginia State Police and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office were called in
to assist. Tracking dogs and a helicopter were used to search for Wolfe. Senior
Trooper, Ben Hobbs of the Virginia State Police, investigated the fatality and later
found Wolfe in Botetourt County.

Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced for second-degree murder and felony eluding on
September 12, 2022. Charges of involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of
an accident were not prosecuted.