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ELKINS -- A man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges in three local counties after being released from prison in Virginia.
Travis Charles White, 48, is charged with grand larceny, a felony, in Randolph County; knowingly or intentionally possessing a controlled substance without a valid prescription, a misdemeanor, in Barbour County; and fleeing from an officer, a felony, in Harrison County.
White is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $2,000 bond for the charge in Randolph County, a $4,000 surety/cash bond for the charge in Barbour County, and a $4,000 surety/cash bond for the charge in Harrison County.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County by Sgt. Brice W. Cogar with the Randolph County Sheriff's Office, on Jan. 30, 2017, Cogar responded to a 911 call in reference to a stolen vehicle in Norton.
Upon arrival, Cogar spoke with the alleged victim, who said "he had started his car to warm up and de-ice" before going back into his home, the complaint states. When the alleged victim returned, he found his vehicle "had been stolen." According to the complaint, the vehicle was valued at $11,000.
Cogar then requested 911 contact ON-STAR, which then determined the current location of the vehicle as being in Garrett County, Maryland. The Garrett County Sheriff's Office "recovered the vehicle at their local Wal-Mart," the complaint states. White was identified through video surveillance obtained by both the Randolph County Sheriff's Office and the Garrett County Sheriff's Office.
White was arrested on May 29, the Randolph County Magistrate Court confirmed with The Inter-Mountain.
A Harrison County Magistrate Court representative told The Inter-Mountain that White had been serving time in prison in Virginia and, after he was released, Harrison County served its warrant for his arrest, as well as serving the arrest warrants for both Randolph and Barbour counties.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Harrison County by Cpl. Steven D. Swiger with the West Virginia State Police, on Feb. 21, 2017, Swiger was advised of a stolen vehicle traveling south on I-79 from Monongalia County. Swiger observed "a white male with brown hair and a mustache" operating the vehicle as it passed him near the 125.5 mile marker south bound I-79 in Harrison County.
The criminal complaint states that Swiger pulled out, activating his emergency lights and siren, at which the vehicle "immediately accelerated." The vehicle "abruptly" exited I-79 south at the Saltwell Exit, traveling down the ramp and "failing to stop at the stop sign" before crossing both lanes of traffic to get back onto the entrance ramp of I-79 south.
The vehicle then continued on I-79 south before again "abruptly" exiting off the Jerry Dove Exit, the complaint states. The vehicle continued to travel at a "high rate of speed," failing to stop at an intersection.
According to the complaint, the vehicle then, once again, "abruptly" exited Jerry Dove Drive onto I-79 North and continued north "at a high rate of speed, in excess of 100 mph at times, passing vehicles on the right and left, changing lanes without signals and failing to acknowledge (Swiger's) lights and sirens."
The vehicle continued through Harrison County and into Marion County, the complaint states.
Swiger writes that the vehicle had been reported stolen from Elkins by the West Virginia State Police, who provided Swiger with White's name after the pursuit. Swiger also made a positive identification after comparing a copy of White's driver's license photo with a photo of the vehicle's driver. Two other officers who witnessed the driver during the pursuit confirmed that White matched the driver's description.
White is set to appear for preliminary hearings in Randolph County Magistrate Court on June 9, and in Harrison County Magistrate Court on June 10.