Man charged with eluding police slips away again

Jan. 30--A man charged with eluding police on a car chase slipped away again when he failed to appear in Waynesboro Circuit Court on Wednesday. In July of last year, Jason Todd Cash, 39, led police on a car chase that ended after he crashed a 1989 Chevy S10 pickup that was reported stolen. He attempted to outrun police on foot, but only made it 400 yards before he was arrested. Cash was treated for injuries sustained during the crash and released from Augusta Health, to be placed in the custody of the Waynesboro Police Department.

Cash faces two felony charges including driving while being a habitual offender and eluding police. Officers also recovered suspected narcotics. He also faces six charges from the Buckingham County Sheriff's Office from a similar situation in August of last year. The charges include eluding police, driving while being a habitual offender, and drug possession, along with improper vehicle registration, failure to have a vehicle inspected and knowingly operating a vehicle without liability insurance.

Police are now looking for Cash.

Also on Wednesday, a man charged with sexually assaulting a child was scheduled to appear in

Waynesboro Circuit Court. Melvin Lee Templeton, Jr.'s plea hearing was rescheduled for Feb. 5 at 11:30 a.m. after his defense attorney told Judge Humes Franklin, Jr. he had inaccurately described the probation terms to his client.

In July of last year, Melvin Lee Templeton, Jr., 40, was charged with forcible sodomy and animate object sexual penetration by Waynesboro police. He was accused of molesting a 10-year-old Waynesboro girl at her residence last year. Templeton was an acquaintance of the girl's mother.

Templeton was also charged with being a fugitive from justice from the state of Oregon. He failed to appear in court in Multnomah County, Oregon on charges of being a fugitive from the state of Michigan. He was originally facing charges of arson in Detroit and was caught in Oregon in September 2012, where bond was set for $1 million.

Templeton has been held without bond in Middle Regional Jail in Verona.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Sherrill represented the state in both cases.

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