LEWIS COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A high-speed chase through Lewis County early Sunday morning ended in a crash and the arrest of a Pittsburgh man, authorities said.
According to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, deputies attempted to stop a Black Kia Forte in Weston at approximately 1:54 a.m. for erratic driving.
The driver, later identified as 29-year-old Francisco Sanchez of Pittsburgh, fled the scene, traveling the wrong way on local streets before merging onto U.S. Route 33 and Interstate 79.
Speeds reportedly reached 105 mph.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office deployed spike strips, causing Sanchez to swerve into the median and continue northbound at over 115 mph.
At the 119-mile marker, a Clarksburg police officer successfully punctured the passenger-side tire, but Sanchez continued at 85-90 mph.
The pursuit continued onto Meadowbrook, where Sanchez ran a red light and narrowly avoided collisions.
His vehicle became increasingly unstable near the Meadowbrook landfill, nearly striking oncoming traffic before crashing into a grounded power box on Dunnam Lane, which brought the chase to an end.
Sanchez was taken into custody and transported to the North Central Regional Jail. Authorities said further charges are pending in Lewis County.
The chase involved assistance from the West Virginia State Police, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Clarksburg Police Department, and Weston Police Department, Sheriff Mickey Metz confirmed.
