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Underwood
ELKINS -- A man was arrested Tuesday morning after allegedly leading police on a pursuit that ended in the Rattlesnake Run area of Randolph County.
William Ownen Underwood, 57, has been charged with fleeing with reckless indifference, a felony. Underwood was transported to the Tygart Valley Regional Jail where he is being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond.
The incident began after Elkins Police Department Corporal D.T. Sayre and Patrolman N.G. Elbon attempted to perform a routine traffic stop close to the Davis & Elkins College campus, according to the criminal complaint..
After officers activated emergency lights in pursuit of a green Ford F150 that Underwood was driving, he began to rapidly accelerate after initially putting his turn signal on and apparently preparing to pull over, the complaint stated.
Officers pursued the vehicle and gave signals for the driver to pull over, but he continued to flee at speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour on the two-lane road, according to the complaint. Officers observed the vehicle cross the double yellow line multiple times, even driving in the opposite lane, creating risk for potential oncoming motorists.
The pursuit continued and Underwood turned on Craven Run Road and continued a speeds up to 65 miles per hour onto a gravel road where the vehicle began to fishtail and lose control, the police report states. The driver was able to maintain control of the truck and eventually led officers into the area of Rattlesnake Run, where officers then located the vehicle unattended on a dead-end road.
Underwood was hiding in the nearby woods around campsites located in the area, the complaint states. After several commands to come out of hiding, he complied and was taken into custody.