Princeton man arrested for hitting officer with car checks self from hospital, leads second chase
Feb. 25—PRINCETON — A local man who injured a deputy with his car Feb. 16 and fled the scene became the subject of another chase Saturday after checking out of a hospital he had been sent to for treatment of a preexisting condition.
Matthew James Davis, 34, of Princeton was arrested Feb. 16 after Deputy J.S. Bish of the Mercer County Sheriff's Department was hit while answering a call about two people passed out in a vehicle at a Kegley business's parking lot, according to a criminal complaint filed by Detective-Sergeant Steven A. Sommers.
Bish responded to the call along with Lt. S.J. Cary, Cpl. J.M. Ellison and Deputy D.A. Calloway. When the deputies made contact with Davis and a woman who was with him, Miranda Ellis, Davis refused to give his identification. When members of the Princeton Rescue Squad tried to assess his condition and the condition of Ellis, Davis "refuses to speak with them," Sommers said.
When the car's doors were unlocked, Bish opened the driver's side door and ordered Davis to get out, Sommers stated in the report.
"The accused refused, gripping the steering wheel and gear shift. Deputy Bish ordered him to release the gear shift, but he refused and placed the vehicle in reserve and accelerated," Sommers said. "Deputy Bush orders the accused to stop the vehicle, while attempting to remove the accused from the driver's seat."
"The accused accelerated in reverse into a ditch with Deputy Bish halfway in the vehicle. The vehicle stops briefly while in the ditch and then the accused accelerates through it, across U.S. Route 19, throwing Deputy Bish from the vehicle onto the pavement," Sommers said in the report. "When Deputy Bish struck the pavement, he was knocked unconscious."
Corporal Ellison and Deputy Calloway pursued Davis while Lt. Cary aided Bish. Bish was taken to Princeton Community Hospital where he was treated and later released. After a chase in which Davis reached speeds of up to 90 mph, Calloway was "able to strike the rear of the accused's vehicle and stop at it" at Country Route 71.
Chief Deputy Joe Parks said after the incident that Davis was taken to Princeton Community Hospital after a warrant was obtained to have blood drawn for a evaluation. The hospital found that Davis had a preexisting condition, and he was transferred to another medical facility. While there, he checked himself out, Parks said.
Davis returned to Mercer County where he became involved in another vehicular pursuit the evening of Feb. 20 that started in the Spanishburg area, Parks said. The car was wrecked and Davis was apprehended. There were no injuries. The West Virginia State Police Princeton detachment was in the pursuit along with Mercer County deputies.
Davis is facing charges including flee in a vehicle — reckless indifference, which carries a term of one to five years in prison. In another charge, flee in a vehicle — causing injury, Davis faces a sentence of three to 10 years in prison. A third charge, flee in a vehicle while under the influence has a sentence of three to 10 years. The fourth charge, assault during commission of or attempt to commit felony has a sentence of two to 10 years. Davis was also arraigned on charges of unlawful assault of a governmental employee, which as a two to five year sentence, and DUI.
Parks said the Davis is facing charges relating to the second pursuit, too. Those charges were not immediately available Wednesday.
Davis is being held at the Southern Regional Jail under cash and cash or surety bonds totaling $150,000.
Parks said after the Feb. 16 incident that Davis had a capias warrant for failing to appear in Mercer County Circuit Court. Miranda Ellis was facing an obstruction charge.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
