A Randolph County man was arrested early Thursday morning after allegedly leading police on a high-speed pursuit through downtown Elkins on an all-terrain vehicle.
Jacob Allen Jones, 23, was charged with fleeing from an officer in a manner showing a reckless indifference to the safety of others. Bond was set at $75,000 cash or surety in Randolph County Magistrate Court.
Two men on an ATV were observed traveling south on Davis Avenue at a high rate of speed just after midnight Thursday, according to the criminal complaint, prepared by Patrolman B.D. Tice of the Elkins Police Department.
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Jones
Tice said he activated his emergency lights and audible signal as he began pursuing the ATV at the intersection of Davis Avenue and Fourth Street. Tice saw the ATV run a red light as it turned east on 11th Street, according to the complaint.
The ATV traveled east through the 219/250 and 33 East intersection, and as it passed the Econo Lodge it turned onto Seneca Road, being pursued by officers from several departments, police said.
After making a sudden turn, the ATV ran into a ditch, and the driver, Jones, fled into the woods, the complaint states. Jones was apprehended after a short distance by a West Virginia state trooper, according to court documents.
Jones allegedly would not comply with the officer's verbal commands, and was pepper sprayed, according to the complaint. "There was an overwhelming odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the defendant's body and breath," the complaint states.
The passenger, identified as Zachary A. Bennett, was apprehended just feet from the ATV, according to the complaint.
In other Randolph County Magistrate Court news, a Belington man was arrested this week for allegedly stealing two cars.
Clinton Dale McCauley, 21, of 400 Abbey Road, was charged with two felony counts of grand larceny. His bond was set at $75,000 cash or surety.
According to the criminal complaint, two vehicles, a gold 2004 Buick Century and a black 1995 Jeep Wrangler, were reported stolen from Autocrafters on June 6. The vehicles were valued at $8,000 each.
The vehicles were recovered by the West Virginia State Police and the Randolph County Sheriff's Department, one by the St. Brendan Catholic Church and one in the Elkins Wal-mart parking lot, according to the complaint.
A Valley Bend man was arrested this week after allegedly trying to arrange a drug deal in the Tygart Hotel parking lot in Elkins.
Joshua Alan Blosser was charged Wednesday with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000 cash only.
According to the criminal complaint, Blosser exchanged text messages with Patrolman Tice, wanting to trade hydrocodone pills for another drug. The meeting was allegedly set up to take place in the parking lot behind the Tygart Hotel, police said.
Blosser was arrested after being found in a car in the lot, according to the complaint. Officers found six 10 mg hydrocodone pills in one of his shoes, according to court documents.
Contact Brad Johnson by email at bjohnson@theintermountain.com.
