A Preston County man faces charges after allegedly fleeing from police in both Monongalia and Preston counties and striking a police vehicle in the process.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, police in Preston County received information about an SUV with no taillights driving recklessly out of Mon County toward Preston. The vehicle was said to have struck a Mon County police car and fled the area, possibly on Kingwood Pike.
According to court records, Preston County Deputy Todd Nestor on Kingwood Pike observed an SUV with no taillights and “sparks flying from underneath,” traveling east.
Nestor tried to initiate a traffic stop but the driver, later identified as Isaac Santino Hartson, 20, of Kingwood, disregarded his attempt and continued fleeing, reaching speeds of 85 mph while traveling through Reedsville, the officer stated in the complaint.
Hartson continued east on W.Va. 7, running through the four-way intersection of W.Va. 7 and W.Va. 92.
While in pursuit, the deputy stated the SUV crossed the double yellow lines several times and passed vehicles in blind turns at high rates of speed.
Throughout the pursuit, Hartson was driving on three tires due to the front passenger tire being flat and running on the rim.
The pursuit ended at Hartson’s address on Hartsell Drive in Kingwood.
According to Nestor, Hartson appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol. Once in custody he was transported to the West Virginia State Police barracks for chemical testing. Hartson was found to have a .167 blood-alcohol content (BAC).
Hartson was charged with fleeing from law enforcement with reckless indifference and fleeing while under the influence. He was released from custody after posting $15,000 bond.
In a separate incident on Sunday, Monongalia County deputies were dispatched after a report of a white Ford Mustang GT doing burnouts in the middle of Monongahela Boulevard in Star City.
Around 30 minutes later, a deputy saw a white Mustang travel up Mon Boulevard toward the WVU Coliseum at a high rate of speed, according to criminal complaints.
Deputy Cory Schubert caught up with the Mustang again on W.Va. 705 near J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital. Registration on the vehicle returned to Roger Lee Alan Johnson, 21, of Morgantown, and it was later determined he was the driver.
Schubert attempted a traffic stop, but once he activated his lights and sirens, Johnson allegedly began traveling at a high rate of speed from 705 to Interstate 68 Exit 10 in Cheat Lake. The deputy said the driver disregarded multiple red lights and passed other motorists.
In the complaint Schubert stated he lost sight of the Mustang on I-68 but continued to Exit 10 where he found the vehicle on the exit ramp of Pa. 43, turning onto Bowers Lane.
Deputies made contact with Johnson after he parked his vehicle at a gas pump at BFS. The registration on the vehicle matched the registration taken by Schubert near the hospital. The complaint states Johnson denied everything.
Johnson was charged with fleeing from law enforcement with reckless indifference. He is currently being held at North Central Regional Jail on $25,000 bond.
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