Westover Police have charged a man with child neglect after he allegedly ran from the police with his four kids in the vehicle.
Robert K. Amerman, 30, of Westover, is charged with child neglect creating risk of serious bodily injury.
On Saturday, Westover Police were called to a Tower Lane home because a man, later identified as Amerman, was beating a Chrysler Town & Country with a baseball bat, according to a criminal complaint.
When Amerman noticed Officer E. Lucas’ arrival, he jumped into the van and drove north on Tower Lane, the complaint said. Lucas activated his cruisers’ lights and sirens to stop Amerman but he ignored them and continued onto Monongahela Avenue.
The chase continued throughout Westover onto Ferry Street, Dunkard Avenue, Holland Avenue, Hartford Street, New Jersey Avenue, Newport Street, back onto Holland Avenue, through the parking lot of Discount Tires and onto Fairmont Road, before stopping at the corner of Fairmont Road and Savannah Street, according to the complaint
Amerman was ordered to get out of the vehicle and arrested, the complaint said.
He told police “they’re after me, they’re going to get my family,” and said he had darts in his right thigh, the complaint said. However, officers didn’t see any darts in his leg.
Amerman’s wife and four kids, all under the age of 11, were in the van “visibly upset, crying, and scared,” the complaint said.
Amerman was arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court and is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
