Waynesburg man arrested for high speed chase with children in car
The Greene County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Waynesburg man Monday after he led deputies on a high-speed chase while his daughters were in the vehicle.
William Charles Smith, 21, of 153 E. Elm St., faces felony charges for aggravated assault, child endangerment and fleeing police. He also faces misdemeanors of reckless endangerment, corruption of minors, resisting arrest and simple assault, as well as several traffic violations.
According to police, deputies followed Smith after seeing him drive at a high speed on North Porter Street. They found his vehicle on Hessel Street, a dead-end road, and Smith allegedly drove toward deputies. They moved out of the way, fearing a head-on collision, according to the complaint.
Smith failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Veterans Way and North Porter Street, and continued accelerating as deputies activated their emergency lights, court documents state. Police said he was “disregarding everything and everyone on or along the road.”
Smith turned on to Race Street and drove through another stop sign at the intersection with Woodland Avenue, according to the criminal complaint.
Deputies elected to end the pursuit as Smith continued driving at high speeds while on the wrong side of the road.
Smith then crashed his car and jumped out of the vehicle. He informed deputies that his two daughters were in the vehicle.
According to police, the children were in car seats and unharmed. They were transported to Ruby Hospital in Morgantown as a precaution. Smith was also taken to Ruby Hospital for a head injury.
District Judge David Balint sent Smith to the Greene County Prison on $15,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear before Balint at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 20 for a preliminary hearing.