An Ohio man is in custody after allegedly trying to run over a police officer in Elkins during a late-night traffic stop that turned into a high-speed chase.
Kevin Allen Strickland, 32, of Sunbury, Ohio, is now facing serious charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and fleeing with reckless indifference. He is being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond set by Randolph County Magistrate Ben Shepler.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Patrolman J.H. White of the Elkins Police Department, the incident occurred around 11:38 p.m. on March 27. White stopped Strickland’s vehicle on North Randolph Avenue after noticing the car’s driver-side headlight was out.
During the stop, Strickland reportedly admitted he had no insurance and told the officer there was marijuana in the car. White also observed that Strickland was acting erratically inside the vehicle. When asked to step out of the car, Strickland suddenly sped off, made a U-turn, and drove directly toward the officer.
White described the terrifying moment in his report: “The defendant drove at me at a high rate of speed, attempting to hit me. If he had made contact, I would have been crushed between his vehicle and my patrol car.” White said he was forced to dive behind his patrol car, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
Strickland then fled the scene, reportedly reaching speeds over 90 mph and blowing through multiple stop signs. Officers from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the West Virginia State Police joined in the pursuit, but eventually lost sight of Strickland’s vehicle.
A warrant was issued shortly after, and Strickland was apprehended and booked into jail on Thursday afternoon.
The case remains under investigation, and Strickland now faces severe legal consequences for his actions during what began as a routine traffic stop.
