Muster

ELKINS — An Ohio man is facing felony charges in Randolph County after allegedly fleeing from police in a January pursuit involving the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, the Elkins City Police Department and Mountain State Fugitive Task Force.

Joseph Richard Muster, 37, of Akron, Ohio, is charged with one count of fleeing with reckless indifference and one count of possession with intent to distribute, both felonies. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $150,000 surety/cash bond.

The criminal complaint, filed by former Senior Deputy T.J. Knotts with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, who is now with the Elkins City Police Department, states that on Jan. 31, 2025, Knotts received a call from Special Duty U.S. Marshal Matt Currance with the Mountain State Fugitive Task Force.

The call was in reference to a “federal parole absconder” wanted by U.S. marshals being in Randolph County, the complaint states. Knotts responded to the Woodford gas station on North Randolph Avenue to meet with the Fugitive Task Force in order to obtain further information on the wanted individual. Deputy marshals provided Knotts with an enforcement action briefing that provided details on the suspect, identified as Muster.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Derek Patrick advised Knotts that Muster was involved in a multi-county pursuit in Ohio several days prior, the complaint states. Knotts then confirmed through Randolph 911 that Muster was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a wanted person with full extradition. The NCIC entry stated that Muster “should be considered armed and dangerous with violent tendencies” and that he is known to abuse drugs. Deputy U.S. Marshal Walker joined Knotts in his vehicle during the search for Muster.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Dustin Hotsinpiller later notified officer that he was observing Muster in a vehicle on Old U.S. Route 219, approaching the intersection of North Randolph Avenue, the complaint states. Knotts turned onto Old U.S. Route 219 and observed deputy marshals following Muster’s vehicle. Knotts then turned on his emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop and detain Muster. Muster then allegedly accelerated, beginning a vehicle pursuit.

The vehicle turned right onto North Randolph Avenue heading eastbound from Old U.S. Route 219, the complaint states. When the vehicle and the pursuing officers approached the underpass of Corridor H, Knotts allegedly observed what appeared to be individual baggies containing a “powder substance” being thrown out the passenger side window. Knotts informed Randolph County 911 of the baggies and Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon later recovered them.

Muster allegedly continued to flee from multiple officers from the U.S. Marshal’s service, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Elkins City Police Department, the complaint states. The vehicle reportedly approached Laurel Mountain Road at speeds in excess of 65 mph in a 35 mph zone. The pursuit continued out Laurel Mountain Road past Sugar Run Road at speeds in excess of 75 mph.

According to the complaint, Knotts then lost sight of the vehicle “due to the sharp turns on Laurel Mountain Road.” Knotts then determined that Muster allegedly turned on Piercy Road off of Laurel Mountain Road. Randolph 911 notified officers that a witness had called 911 and advised they had observed the vehicle turn onto Piercy Road.

Knotts made his way to Piercy Road in an attempt to catch up with Muster, the complaint states. Randolph 911 then informed officers that they had received a call regarding a vehicle being stuck in a field after wrecking into a fence near a residence on Piercy Road. When Knotts arrived on the scene, he observed the vehicle in the field and Muster standing in the roadway several hundred yards from the vehicle.

Knotts advised Muster that, if he did not comply with officers, he “would be bitten by K9 Twix,” the complaint states. Muster was then taken into custody by Knotts and Walker without incident.

After walking back to the vehicle to ensure there were no passengers, Knotts allegedly observed multiple baggies of a “powder substance consistent with heroin and fentanyl,” the complaint states. Due to “excessive rains,” Knotts secured the vehicle and requested Colonial Court to retrieve it and escort it back to a secure lot to ensure evidence was not compromised.

Later, Randolph County 911 advised they had received a call from a resident close to the crash, who said a woman had arrived at their residence and claimed her car was in a ditch and she needed a ride, the complaint states. Officers attempted to locate the woman, but Knotts was advised that a different resident had given a courtesy ride away from the area.

A deputy marshal then informed Knotts that Muster had allegedly stated the woman was a passenger in the vehicle during the pursuit and he had let her out just before he wrecked. Knotts writes that it is believed that she was the one throwing the baggies out of the passenger side window due to Muster’s comments on her being in the passenger seat at the time.

Back at the underpass of Corridor H, Elbon recovered a small baggie containing a “brown/pink substance consistent with heroin/fentanyl,” along with multiple empty baggies, the complaint states. The controlled substances were sent to the WVSP Crime Lab for identification on Feb. 5, 2025. On March 24, 2025, Knotts was informed of the identification of each item sent to the lab.

Item No. 1 weighed approximately 19.72 grams and contained fentanyl, the complaint states. Item No. 2 weighed approximately 1.08 grams and contained heroin, fentanyl, xylazine and “3,4-Methylenedioxy-alpha-Cyclohexylaminopropiophenone,” also known as hydrochloride. Item No. 3 weighed approximately 1.43 grams and contained xylazine and the presence of fentanyl and hydrochloride.

Knotts writes that, due to the manner in which the narcotics were found and through his training and experience with drug investigations, he is led to believe that the substances were supposed to be distributed.

Muster was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on the pending charges he had “from prior incidents,” the complaint states. Knotts writes that, during the pursuit, Muster operated his vehicle in “a careless manner, showing reckless indifference to the safety of others.” Knotts notes that Muster’s driving was an “obvious” attempt to evade law enforcement.