Oak Hill man sentenced to prison after evading capture on ATV

FAYETTEVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – An Oak Hill man will see prison time as a result of a 2021 incident in which an officer with the Oak Hill Police Department was led on a high speed pursuit. 

According to reports from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for Fayette County, on February 24, 2021, an Oak Hill PD officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on an orange side-by-side ATV being operated by the defendant in Minden subdivision of Oak Hill. 

The defendant, identified as Michael D. Rose, refused to pull the vehicle over, continuing to proceed recklessly at a high rate of speed. 

The speed limit of the residential area, listed at 25 mph, was greatly exceeded by the defendant, who did manage to evade the officer during the pursuit, but was ultimately recognized by the officer from a prior interaction. 

Michael D. Rose, 30 of Oak Hill, was sentenced on September 19, 2022 by Chief Judge Thomas H. Ewing to not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years for the felony crime of fleeing from an officer with reckless indifference.  The defendant pled guilty to the offense on June 10, 2022, and must serve a minimum of one year before becoming eligible for parole.

The case was investigated by the Oak Hill Police Department, and prosecuted by Fayette County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tyler S. Rohrbaugh.