PHILLIPS
BUCKHANNON – A motorcyclist reportedly led police on a wild chase at speeds of nearly 120 mph on Tuesday, fleeing from officers in Upshur County and eventually wrecking his motorcycle in Barbour County.
Damond Ersel Phillips, 43, of Montrose, was charged with reckless flight and driving while license revoked for DUI. He is being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on $12,000 bail.
According to the indictment, a blue Yamaha motorcycle with “illegal blue light” was spotted by officers traveling north on Route 20 in Upshur County. An officer “Lights and sirens switched on” but the motorcycle “immediately accelerated, tried to flee from the officer, crossed into the oncoming lane several times and even drove into blind corners during the entire chase.”
The motorcycle turned onto other roads, then returned to Route 20, running a stop sign, the complaint states. The motorcycle then turned onto US 119. “at a speed of up to 192 km/h.”
The chase continued into Barbour County, where the motorcyclist “broke down on the side of the road while trying to turn onto Audra Park Road,” according to the complaint. Phillips, the motorcyclist, “stood up with his hands raised after the accident” and was subsequently arrested.
Phillips was “seen by the emergency services and signed rejection letter”, the complaint states. He had no insurance and the motorcycle had a false registration, with a “fake temporary label on the back.”
