Two Police Officers Dragged by Assalants Car

Two police offers from the Paw Paw area of West Virginia were dragged by an assailant's vehicle 25 feet as he made his get away after being searched. Deputy C.H. Cobern, of the Morgan County Sheriff's Department, and Paw Paw Police Chief Brian Sites were dragged behind the assailant's Monte Carlo Wednesday in attempt to flee from the officers.

James Spencer, 50, of 192 Amelia St. Paw Paw, West Virginia was approached by the officers in an area known to be frequented by illegal drug users. He agreed to a body search when he tossed something into his vehicle. He then pushed the officers back and jumped in to his Chevy Monte Carlo in an attempt to flee the scene. In the confusion Spencer put his Monte Carlo into reverse causing both officers to be dragged 25 feet. Both officers suffered only minor injuries but it could have been much worse.

After being thrown free from the vehicle Police Chief Sites fired three rounds at the assailant's car. No one was hit by those rounds. Police reports say that Spencer drove through a 6 foot fence beside the Townhouse apartments hitting the corner of a house before driving back through the fence and heading west on Winchester Street in Paw Paw. The vehicle used in the crime was later recovered at Spencer's residence with a flat tire. It was impounded and taken into evidence.

An extensive search for the man took place with the aid of area units from the Morgan County Sheriff's Department, Berkeley Springs Police Department, West Virginia State Police and Hampshire County Sheriff's Office, along with a police helicopter from the Maryland State Police. The search did not recover the suspect, it was determined that Spencer had fled the area with an unknown person. This person could be charged with aiding a wanted criminal.

Spencer's sister of Hagerstown arranged with police officers for Spencer to surrender himself to police to face two charges of malicious assault on a police officer. Spencer was arranged on a 10,000 bail in the Eastern Regional jail.
(www.Journal-news.net)