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Wease
ELKINS-- An Elkins man is facing a felony charge after police attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
William David Wease, 36, is charged with fleeing with reckless indifference. Bond was set for $25,000 cash only by Randolph County Magistrate Judge Mike Dyer.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Senior Patrolman D.T. Sayre of the Elkins City Police, the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a white Ford Focus with a temporary registration on Sept. 11. The report states that Sayre observed the vehicle as it approached a four-way intersection, and, as he continued to follow the vehicle, it "began to accelerate and ignore the four-way stop sign as the passenger of the vehicle attempted to exit."
The report states that Sayre activated his emergency lights and siren as the vehicle turned left onto Randolph Avenue and "cut in front of both lanes of traffic towards Walgreens." While Sayre was in pursuit of the vehicle, the vehicle "began making erratic driving motions in attempt to evade this officer towards Harrison Avenue where the vehicle made an immediate left onto Henry Avenue traveling at speeds of over 50 miles per hour," the report states.
"As the vehicle continued onto Henry Avenue, the vehicle continued through the stop sign at Fourth Street and Henry and continued to evade towards Second Street where the four way stop sign failed to slow the driver of the vehicle," Sayre wrote.
The report states that the driver "failed to have any regard to the vehicles and pedestrians that were on the sidewalks and road."
According to the complaint, the driver, identified as Wease, eventually stopped and was extracted from the vehicle alongside a female passenger, and additional officers arrived at the scene for assistance.
Wease was then taken into custody, the report states.
The complaint states that Sayre then received a statement from the passenger who told the officer that she was conversing with Wease when a police officer drove by, additionally stating that she got into the car and that Wease had observed a police vehicle behind him-- at which time he began to "drive really fast" "90 or faster." She additionally stated that Wease "started throwing things out the window and said he was going to jail" during the chase.
According to the complaint, the passenger additionally stated that she made attempts to leave the vehicle.
The report states that the officers proceeded to drive on the route that Wease had taken, at which time they located "a black container which had syringes that Wease had thrown out of the vehicle."
The report additionally states that the passenger told the officer that Wease had thrown out a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine, which officers were unable to locate.