RANDOLPH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A police pursuit through Randolph County ended with the arrest of a driver after a reported break-in at a storage building in the Beaver Creek area on December 29, 2024.
According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, 911 dispatchers received a call about two individuals attempting to break into a storage building before fleeing the scene in a gray or silver vehicle.
Deputy Pingley responded to the area and located a vehicle matching the description near 3969 Georgetown Road.
When Deputy Pingley attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle sped away, reaching speeds between 60 and 100 mph on a road with a 35 mph speed limit.
The driver also veered into the opposite lane multiple times and nearly lost control navigating several turns.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into a small forested area after losing control near the Scott Ford/Livingston Avenue turn.
Deputy Pingley detained the driver, identified as James Norman, at gunpoint.
Norman admitted to having a suspended license and no valid driver’s license. A passenger in the vehicle was also detained but later released.
Both individuals stated they had been in the Beaver Creek area prior to the pursuit.
James Norman was arrested and charged with fleeing from an officer with reckless indifference, a felony. He was transported to Tygart Valley Regional Jail where he remains on a $35,000 cash-only bond.
The breaking and entering incident remains under investigation, and additional charges may follow.
