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Stackpole
ELKINS -- A Harrison County man has been charged with fleeing in a vehicle after an attempted traffic stop in Elkins on Saturday.
Michael Eugene Stackpole, 27, of Wallace, is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, on a $15,000 cash bond, set by Randolph County Magistrate Michael Dyer.
According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Patrolman R.A. Summerfield of the Elkins Police Department, the officer was patroling and stopped behind a blue Chevrolet Cobalt at the traffic light at the intersection of 11th Street and South Davis Avenue.
Summerfield noticed the Cobalt had "an exhaust that was altered beyond the original manufacturing, causing it be loud," the complaint states. Summerfield switched on his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver of the Cobalt, later identified as Stackpole, allegedly turned into the alleyway connecting 11th Street and 10th Street, accelerating quickly.
Stackpole then turned left onto 10th Street with "squealing tires," according to the complaint. Stackpole then turned back onto 11th Street "running the stop sign" and "almost striking a vehicle,"
Stackpole then turned onto Industrial Park Road "again not stopping at the stop sign," the complaint states. Approaching the intersection of Wilson Street and Worth Avenue, Stackpole drove "into the opposite lane to go around the a vehicle stopped at the intersection." He then "accelerated through the intersection reaching speeds of approximately 63 mph in a 25 mph zone in or around the area of Davis Medical Center."
As Summerfield pursued the Cobalt toward Harrison Avenue, Trooper C.D. Spessert of the Elkins detachment of the West Virginia State Police "was attempting to deploy spike strips on Worth Avenue." The Cobalt "almost struck Trooper Spessert," according to the complaint.
Stackpole turned right on Harrison Avenue "almost striking another vehicle" and "accelerating to speeds of approximately 60 mph in a 35 mph zone," the complaint states.
The Cobalt ran another stop sign and eventually came to a "stop at a dead-end road behind the apartments located at 927 North Randolph Avenue," according to the complaint. Stackpole exited the Cobalt, "frantically pacing back and forth," and Summerfield ordered him to "get on the ground." Stackpole then "started to reach into the passenger side of his vehicle" and then "turned back around and walked toward this officer and went down to his knees."
Stackpole then "began fleeing on foot" between houses, with Summerfield pursuing on foot, the complaint states. Summerfield caught up with Stackpole "across North Randolph on the hill below the bike trail." Summerfield "assisted Stackpole to the ground" and "placed him in hand restraints."
Officers then learned that Stackpole's drivers license had been revoked, according to the complaint.