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COALTON -- A Coalton man is behind bars and accused of fleeing from law enforcement on a motorcycle.
Gordon Lee Channell, 40, of Coalton, is charged with fleeing in a vehicle, a felony, after he allegedly refused to stop for law enforcement.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, West Virginia State Police Corporal S.P. Miller was patrolling near Norton on Sunday when he received a call about a possible rolling domestic involving a firearm.
According to the complaint, Randolph County 911 advised that a female caller said her ex-husband had a sawed-off 410 shotgun and was on a motorcycle attempting to block her in near the Norton turn-off of U.S. Route 48. Miller advised 911 that he was near the intersection and there was no traffic.
The complaint states that Miller turned toward Norton and observed a motorcycle attempting to pass a vehicle in a no passing zone near the old Bob's Hot Dog restaurant. The officer turned on his emergency lights and then the motorcycle cut onto the shoulder and cut through the gravel lot and turned around.
According to the complaint, Miller got behind the motorcycle and it began pulling away at a high rate of speed. Miller followed the motorcycle as it turned right onto West Virginia Route 151.
"The rider crossed over into the eastbound lane wobbling and with sparks shooting out from under the bike and continued down W.Va. Route 151 to the intersection with the Coalton-Pumpkintown Road," the complaint state. "The rider turned wide to the left and almost lost the bike heading into the ditch when (I) put the front of the cruiser towards him, the rider threw his hands up."
The officer drew his firearm on the rider and gave verbal commands for him to get on the ground and show his hands, which the rider did without incident and was taken into custody. The rider was identified as Channell and no weapons were found on him.
If convicted, Channell faces a fine of $1,000 to $2,000 and one to five years in prison. Channell is currently lodged in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail. Bond was set at $1,000 cash or surety by Randolph County Magistrate George Riggleman.