OAK HILL, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A traffic stop attempt in Oak Hill escalated into a foot pursuit Friday evening after police say a driver fled from officers in a vehicle with expired registration.
According to a criminal complaint, the incident happened on January 2, 2026, around 6:13 p.m., when Patrolman S.M. Wilshire spotted a red Chevrolet Blazer on East Main Street that matched the description of a suspicious vehicle previously reported near Needles Eye Park. The vehicle had also been flagged the day before for expired registration, authorities said.
When Wilshire attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Victory Street by activating his emergency lights, the driver allegedly accelerated at a high speed and turned into a residence on Victory Street before stopping in the backyard. Police say the driver then exited the vehicle and ran.
The officer pursued the suspect on foot through multiple yards and across Dickenson Avenue, giving verbal commands to stop. The chase continued through a wooded area, where the suspect — later identified as Stephen Dequasie — was located on the ground, according to the report.
Police say Dequasie initially refused to comply with commands to place his hands behind his back, leading to a brief struggle before he was detained with assistance from Sgt. J. Jones. Officers reported concerns the suspect may have been armed during the encounter.
According to the complaint, officers observed signs consistent with suspected drug impairment, including dilated pupils and excited behavior. Due to his condition, field sobriety testing was not performed. Dequasie later consented to a blood draw at Plateau Medical Center, and the sample was secured for laboratory testing, police said.
Officers also learned Dequasie had an active probation violation warrant out of Fayette County. The Chevy Blazer he was driving was towed from the scene and was found to have expired registration as of August 2025.
After being medically cleared around 10:45 p.m., Dequasie was processed at the Oak Hill Police Department and transported to Southern Regional Jail pending further court proceedings.
The incident occurred within the city limits of Oak Hill in Fayette County.
