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Man faces charges after high-speed chase

BELLIRE — A Moundsville man was arrested Tuesday on several charges including aggravated vehicular assault after he allegedly attempted to run down a Bellaire police officer with his vehicle twice then led officers on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in Yorkville.

Jonathan Michael Sampson, 32, was parked in his car in Bellaire when police were alerted that he was wanted by authorities in West Virginia.

“He was a common thief,” Bellaire Police Chief Dick Flanagan said. “He was on parole from West Virginia, but he was dodging his parole officer.”

Flanagan said Bellaire police a received call about a person with an outstanding warrant sitting in a car in the Burger King parking lot. When the Bellaire officer approached the car, Sampson allegedly put his car into reverse and “plowed” into the Bellaire patrol car, according to Flanagan, almost striking the police officer. Sampson then drove the car forward and attempted to hit the officer a second time, Flanagan said.

Sampson then drove his vehicle onto Ohio 7 and headed north, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph. Bellaire police were in pursuit and were assisted by the Martins Ferry Police Department. As Sampson crossed the Jefferson County line at Yorkville, officers observed Sampson’s driver’s door open as he attempted to jump out of the vehicle while traveling at a high rate of speed. He aborted this first attempt to jump then slowed the car until he finally made a second, successful attempt to jump out of the moving vehicle, Flanagan said. After he jumped out of the vehicle, Sampson led officers on a foot pursuit before he was apprehended.

Flanagan said Sampson had two “loaded syringes” containing a substance suspected to be methampethamine. The Ohio State Highway Patrol Steubenville post assisted at the crash scene in Yorkville, Flanagan said.

Flanagan said Sampson was lodged in the Belmont County Jail on eight charges including four felonies. The charges are aggravated vehicular assault, failure to comply with a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, two charges of possession of drugs, possesion of drug abuse instruments and criminal damaging.

Flanagan said he takes his officers’ safety very seriously.

“I take it very personally when some tries to injure one of my officers,” he said.

Flanagan said the incident was a very dangerous one that had a safe outcome.

“Thank God no one was hurt,” he said.

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