Court finds probable cause in case of high-speed motorcycle chase

Greg Jordan, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·2 min read

Sep. 28—PRINCETON — Probable cause was found Monday in the case of a Mercer County man facing multiple felony charges after a high-speed motorcycle pursuit from the Princeton area to Brushfork.

Matthew David Furches, 28, of Princeton appeared before Magistrate William Holroyd for a preliminary hearing at the Mercer County Courthouse Annex. Furches is charged with third-offense driving under the influence (DUI), driving revoked third-offense DUI, fleeing while DUI and fleeing with reckless indifference.

Sgt. A.M. Ballard with the Mercer County Sheriff's Department said after the arrest Sept.10 that Furches has had more than three DUI charges in the past, and at least two convictions. His driver's license is currently revoked for the prior offenses.

The incident started Sept 10 about 11:30 p.m. when Ballard was patrolling on Oakvale Road.

Ballard said he was traveling between United Rentals and the Church of God at a speed of about 47 mph, heading toward the crossroads, when two motorcycles came up behind him. One motorcyclist, Furches, who was clocked on rear radar at a speed of 64 mph, then began passing him, he said.

Ballard said when the motorcycles was midway down the side of his cruiser, he turned on his blue lights. Furches, who was going "well over the speed limit," then "throttled up," and the pursuit started.

Furches was driving a 2015 black Harley Davidson with temporary tags and had a passenger — his girlfriend — on the vehicle. The incident ended in Brushfork near the intersection of Route 52 and Airport Road; Furches lost control of his motorcycle near the Burger King. Ballard said that he and Patrolman R.S. Dyson with the Princeton Police Department apprehended Furches at that time. The girlfriend was not charged. Furches and his girlfriend did not have any injuries.

Holroyd said after the preliminary hearing that he found probable cause and sent the case to the Mercer County Grand Jury.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com