Spike strips halt wild ride
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — It was just another Monday evening in Inez until things took a wild turn at Calf Creek Church.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 7 p.m. about a potentially intoxicated man wandering around the church grounds. Before deputies could arrive, new information came in: the man had left the scene in a gray Chevy Traverse and was last spotted at the Zip Zone on Blacklog.
Deputies tracked down the Traverse on Route 40/Blacklog Road, noting expired tags and reckless driving. They attempted a traffic stop, but the driver was not interested in stopping. Instead, he kept going.
At this point, authorities were alerted that this might not be just a case of drunken driving. A West Virginia agency had reportedly already issued an alert on the vehicle and its driver, warning that he might be armed with a handgun.
With “zero concern for anyone’s safety,” Chief Deputy Chris Kidd reported, the suspect pushed the speedometer beyond 80 mph on Route 40, racing through Warfield to Lovely and up Wolf Creek.
The chase continued up Pigeon Roost Road and back out before turning onto Route 2032 and then Route 40, heading back to Warfield.
Upon reaching Warfield, the suspect made a U-turn in the middle of the road and sped toward Inez, racing down Main Street, onto Old Route 3, and eventually into Lawrence County.
Enter the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and the Louisa Police Department, who had their own plan: spike strips. Laid down and locked in, just like that, the Chevy was out of commission.
Authorities arrested John Franklin Pauley, 47, of Danville, West Virginia, who was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
It turns out this was not Pauley’s first brush with the law. Authorities said he was wanted by another law enforcement agency and now faces a range of new charges following Monday night’s highway escapade.
According to Deputy Kidd, a Martin District Court judge issued warrants for Pauley on charges of fleeing or evading police (first degree), three counts of wanton endangerment (first degree, police officer), reckless driving, speeding 26 mph or more over the limit, three counts of disregarding a stop sign, no registration receipt, failure to illuminate headlamps, license not in possession, and criminal littering.
“It’s also possible that he faces numerous other charges in Lawrence County since the pursuit ended there,” Kidd added.
“Special thanks to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and the Louisa Police Department for their assistance,” Deputy Kidd said.
As of Tuesday evening, Pauley remained hospitalized.