A Morgantown man is in custody after police say he led them on a high-speed chase from University Town Centre to Van Voorhis Road, before crashing his vehicle in a ditch.
On Feb. 18, Granville Police officer Zachary Freeburn reportedly saw a silver Nissan Altima traveling at approximately 40 mph on University Town Centre Drive, a 25-mph zone. While following the vehicle, the officer also saw the vehicle straddle the lane line.
According to the criminal complaint, the officer continued following the vehicle as it turned onto Emmett Drive, increasing speed to 45 mph in a 25-mph zone.
Once the vehicle turned onto Monongahela Boulevard, the officer activated his lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle; however, the vehicle quickly accelerated as it continued heading south.
“I turned on my siren and continued pursuing the vehicle as it reached speeds of 105 mph in a posted 45-mph zone on Monongahela Boulevard, passing numerous cars in both directions,” Freeburn wrote in the complaint.
The chase continued as the vehicle quickly turned onto Patteson Drive, again accelerating to speeds up to 100 mph on the 35-mph road, and ran a red light at the Morrill Way intersection.
Freeburn said the driver passed “numerous cars going in both directions, showing no regard to the safety of other motorists on the road.”
The pursuit came to an end when the driver turned onto Van Voorhis Road and crashed into a ditch in front of the WVU Police Department.
The driver, later identified as Mykel Anthony Jackson, 25, of Morgantown, got out of the vehicle and took off on foot, with Freeburn giving numerous commands to stop running. Jackson was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit, the complaint said.
Freeburn noted smelling alcohol on Jackson’s breath and marijuana on his clothes, as well as writing that he had bloodshot, glassy eyes.
According to the complaint, after being read his Miranda Rights, Jackson admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana prior to driving.
Jackson was charged with fleeing law enforcement with reckless indifference and fleeing while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment hearing Feb. 18. He is currently being held at North Central Regional Jail on $20,000 bond.
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