Marty Gordon
Local law enforcement has caught David Lee Shortridge, a fugitive wanted in southwest Virginia and eastern Tennessee for multiple charges of fraud. According to information from the Christiansburg Police Department, they received a tip that the 61-year-old man frequented the Country Cookin’ restaurant on a regular basis. An additional tip was received that he was at the Radford Road location on Wednesday night.
Officers responded and located the individual who initially denied he was the person they were looking for, saying it was his twin brother. After a short discussion, however, he admitted that he was, in fact, David Lee Shortridge, and was placed under arrest on numerous outstanding warrants from multiple jurisdictions.
Shortridge, who is originally from Rowe, Virginia in Buchanan County, was wanted in Washington County on charges of obtaining money by false pretenses and fraudulent sale of a motor vehicle without a title. In Russell County, he is sought for failure to appear in court. In Tazewell County, he is wanted on a probation violation. In Bristol City, he faces charges of failure to appear for a jury trial and in Johnson City, Tennessee, he is facing an indictment for failing to honor a home improvement contract.
He has also charged in Christiansburg with one count of obstructing justice in violation of Virginia Code section 18.2-460.
A warrant of extradition was issued and served based on the Tennessee charges.
As of Thursday, Shortridge was being held without bail at the Montgomery County jail.
Police would not release any details on why he was in the New River Valley or how long he might have been in the area. Nor is it known if was operating a home improvement or car sales business while here in the Christiansburg area.
