W.Va. fugitive captured after industrial park pursuit

Published 3:36 pm Thursday, March 4, 2021

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BY FRED PETKE

Sun Reporter

A West Virginia man who fled minutes before he was to be sentenced for sexual abuse was captured Tuesday evening in the Winchester industrial park after running from local and federal authorities.

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Raymond Brown, 48, of Clay, West Virginia, is now facing a number of local charges including a possible prison sentence at home.

According to court officials in Clay County, West Virginia, Brown was scheduled to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Monday to two counts of felony sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person of trust. The charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years.

Brown allegedly cut the band on his ankle monitor at 9:15 a.m. Monday and fled the area, Clark County Sheriff Berl Perdue Jr. said.

Tuesday afternoon, the West Virginia State Police contacted the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and said Brown’s cell phone was pinging in the area of Revilo Road in Winchester. CCSO Deputy Lee Murray said in his incident report he located the suspect’s pickup truck at Best Value Inn bearing the license plate from another vehicle.

Murray said was standing by in another parking lot when the truck passed, and he followed it onto Rolling Hills Lane and into the industrial park. Other officers, including two vehicles of U.S. Marshals converged on the area and blocked the intersection at Fortune and Corporate drives, Murray said.

Brown’s truck struck both marshals’ vehicles, as the pursuit continued and ended in a parking lot on Enterprise Drive.

Brown and his son, 19-year-old Hunter Brown, both got out of the truck and fled on foot. Raymond Brown, who Murray said was injured during the pursuit, was captured by the marshals after a short distance. Hunter Brown, who was not charged, was located later and turned over to the marshals to await family members to pick him up.

Raymond was treated and released from Clark Regional Medical Center.

In Clark County, Raymond Brown was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree fleeing or evading police, no registration receipt, no registration plate, failure to maintain insurance, improper display of registration plate and reckless driving. He is being held in the Clark County Detention Center.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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