When a West Virginia State trooper conducted a routine
traffic stop Thursday evening, the last thing he
expected was to be involved in a pursuit through rural
Mingo County — chasing after his own police cruiser.
According to Sgt. J.C. Dotson, with the WVSP detachment in Williamson, Trooper J.K. Weiss stopped Jennie Baldridge of Pike County, Ky. for driving a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker. Baldridge told the trooper she did not have her license.
Weiss then proceeded to place her in the back of his vehicle. It was determined Baldridge had given him false information about her identity. As he was continuing his investigation, Dave Stratton and Yogi Croft with the Matewan Police Department arrived and began assisting with traffic control.
Weiss then heard a noise coming from his cruiser, Dotson said. Apparently, Baldridge had managed to get from the back of the police car to the front.
"Trooper Weiss ran to the cruiser and jumped half in and half out of the car," Dotson said. "She then started going straight toward Yogi and some pedestrians."
Weiss got out of the cruiser and shot a tire on the passenger side of the vehicle in an attempt to stop her, Dotson said. Baldridge then drove down the highway.
The three officers all got into the Matewan squad car and followed Baldridge until she wrecked the vehicle at a nearby coal mine.
The incident was controlled by the officers and no one was injured, Dotson said.
Dotson said Baldridge is "very skinny and petite" which helped her get into the driver's seat. The jail's website lists the woman as 5-foot, 8-inches tall and weighing 115 pounds.
She remains in custody under a $35,100 bond charged with unlawful assault, DUI, DUI fleeing, DUI property damage and DUI revoked license.
According to Sgt. J.C. Dotson, with the WVSP detachment in Williamson, Trooper J.K. Weiss stopped Jennie Baldridge of Pike County, Ky. for driving a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker. Baldridge told the trooper she did not have her license.
Weiss then proceeded to place her in the back of his vehicle. It was determined Baldridge had given him false information about her identity. As he was continuing his investigation, Dave Stratton and Yogi Croft with the Matewan Police Department arrived and began assisting with traffic control.
Weiss then heard a noise coming from his cruiser, Dotson said. Apparently, Baldridge had managed to get from the back of the police car to the front.
"Trooper Weiss ran to the cruiser and jumped half in and half out of the car," Dotson said. "She then started going straight toward Yogi and some pedestrians."
Weiss got out of the cruiser and shot a tire on the passenger side of the vehicle in an attempt to stop her, Dotson said. Baldridge then drove down the highway.
The three officers all got into the Matewan squad car and followed Baldridge until she wrecked the vehicle at a nearby coal mine.
The incident was controlled by the officers and no one was injured, Dotson said.
Dotson said Baldridge is "very skinny and petite" which helped her get into the driver's seat. The jail's website lists the woman as 5-foot, 8-inches tall and weighing 115 pounds.
She remains in custody under a $35,100 bond charged with unlawful assault, DUI, DUI fleeing, DUI property damage and DUI revoked license.