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High speed chase incident headed to grand jury

ELKINS — Probable cause for the arrest of a Randolph County man accused of leading police on a high speed chase was ruled to have been met during a preliminary hearing in Randolph County Magistrate Court.

Freddie Allen Rose Jr., 27, of Valley Head, is charged with one felony count of fleeing with reckless indifference and one felony count of driving revoked for DUI, third offense. He remains incarcerated at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $65,000 cash-only bond, set by Randolph County Magistrate Ben Shepler.

The probable cause ruling means Rose’s case will be bound over to the Randolph County Circuit Court for presentation to a grand jury and possible indictment.

Randolph County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Leckta Poling represented the state while Rose appeared with Brian Bailey as defense counsel. Randolph County Chief Magistrate George M. “Mike” Riggleman presided.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, at approximately 4:43 p.m. on April 18, Randolph County 911 received a call regarding a black Pontiac Trans Am traveling at excessive speeds on Channel Road.

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Z.T. Pingley, along with other members of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, attempted to locate the vehicle. Approximately an hour later, a vehicle matching the description of the Trans Am was located on Georgetown Road traveling at a high rate of speed. When the driver of the vehicle saw law enforcement, he “quickly turned around” and headed toward Rich Mountain, police said.

Pingley noted in the report that the Trans Am had been involved in prior pursuits and was believed to be driven by Rose. Law enforcement located the vehicle between Mabie and Cassity traveling the opposite direction of officers. Pingley attempted to block the road with lights and sirens on.

The vehicle continued toward Pingley at a high rate of speed “as if playing a game of chicken,” the complaint states. Pingley did not move his vehicle but “feared” for his safety before the driver of the vehicle “pressed on the brakes hard” and was within five feet of the officer.

Pingley was able to identify the driver as Rose at that time due to previous encounters with him, according to the complaint. There was also an unidentified passenger in the vehicle. Rose spun his tires and pulled around Pingley, beginning a vehicle pursuit where speeds up to 85 mph were reached in a 45 mph zone.

Rose “not only put himself and I in danger, but the passing traffic on the roadway,” Pingley wrote in the report. Rose “consistently changed lanes” until Pingley lost sight of the vehicle. At that time, the pursuit was “terminated” due to officer safety.

Rose has three prior convictions for driving revoked for DUI — one on May 8, 2014 and two on Sept. 4, 2014. The same date convictions stem from separate incidents on April 14, 2014 and May 10, 2014, according to the complaint.

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