Arrest After Huntington Police Chase
Arrest After Huntington Police Chase Save Email Print
Posted: 5:32 PM Aug 9, 2008
 Last Updated: 11:58 PM Aug 9, 2008
 Reporter: Michael Wooten
Email Address: michael.wooten@wsaz.com
26 comments
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A 20-minute police chase that winded through Huntington Saturday afternoon ended with a suspect, Brent Gist, in custody.

It started when an officer noticed Gist, who has a revoked license, driving near the intersection of 7th Street and Charleston Avenue.

When police walked to his car, they say Gist took off. That started the low-speed chase, which stayed below 30 miles per hour.

At around 5:15 p.m., after winding through several Huntington neighborhoods, including the South Side, close to downtown and then toward the West End, it ended in an alley between Washington and Virginia Avenues at 5th Street West.

Officers say Gist had nowhere to go when he pulled into the alley, because cruisers blocked him in.

The suspect's baby boy was in the back of the car; the child is now at the Huntington Police Department, along with the child's mother and Child Protective Services.

Gist faces various charges, including felony DUI fleeing, driving on a suspended or revoked license, fleeing, obstruction, child neglect and driving without insurance.

Nobody was hurt during the chase. The suspect was slightly injured as he was arrested.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
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Posted by: Bill on Aug 13, 2008 at 08:47 AM
It is sad that people are so bored that they have to post comments on - - - - - - sorry I fell asleep, these stories. WHO CARES!!!!!! My first and last comment
Posted by: I agree with JOHN on Aug 12, 2008 at 10:23 AM
John is right... to blame someone else or something else for this boy's actions is ignorant. He did it, end of story... MORE People need to be held accountable for their actions, and every city would become a better place.... Aren't you responsible for your actions? Can someone else or something else MAKE YOU DO SOMETHING YOU DON"T WANT TOO? JOHN YOU ARE RIGHT ON THIS ONE!
Posted by: john on Aug 11, 2008 at 07:45 PM
to jean. if you were truely informed of this mans past criminal history you would know that he served a 12 day jail sentence in the lawrence county jail for child endangerment.that is knot only disregarding the law but neglecting his family. no one can justify his actions. you OBVIOUSLY havent done your homework.
Posted by: anon: on Aug 11, 2008 at 07:40 PM
Anyone can lie and say that someone hit them and a DVP will be issued. Knowing quite a bit of the history involved in this case, it was never Brent who sruck anyone but he has the one who was battered. He walked away from every blow and never raised a hand. He should have left before it came down to this.
Posted by: to: Pablo on Aug 11, 2008 at 02:06 PM
Pablo, you should really study the theories behind our judicial system before you open your yapper. It is obvious that you have no clue what you are talking about. My opinion is that you want to sound a martial-law hardass. But i think you lack the intelligence to truly jusitfy physical punishment and you "where are the parents?" attitude. Maybe you should move to Singapore and see if that better suits your lifestyle
Posted by: Jean on Aug 11, 2008 at 11:05 AM
To John at 7:06pm: First of all I am not a bleeding heart liberal, but I obviously have more facts than you. Brent was never a violent person and he had the upmost respect for the law. His only fault was staying with someone who obviously had "issues" that culminated in those last desperate acts that only sealed his fate.
Posted by: anon on Aug 11, 2008 at 09:37 AM
i'm glad this ended without the child being physically harmed. but i want to know what the heck the reported was thinking when he typed "winded"? shouldn't it be "wound"? or perhaps just "drove around"?
Posted by: Kathy on Aug 11, 2008 at 06:25 AM
well he may be all that "anon" 2:35 Aug 10th BUT he certainly DID make a BAD choice when he ran from the police with his CHILD in the car for God's sake! How selfish is THAT? IF he was a man and a parent, he would have let himself be caught for whatever rather than endanger the well being and life of his child! then John posts that he's done the same thing before - endangered his children in order to save his own neck so I have no sympathy for him would you still feel the same way Anon, if God forbid that child had been injured or killed because of his "bad choices"? yes people make bad choices in life, BUT those bad choices ALWAYS affect someone else and it's usually the innocent victims who get hurt/killed because of them this child could have died so don't expect me to feel sorry for this guy if he wants to get himself killed fine, that's HIS choice, but his child can't decide for him/her self
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 10, 2008 at 08:42 PM
ok debbie you were scared. hahahahha man that weird
Posted by: john on Aug 10, 2008 at 07:06 PM
I know thas man as well. For all you bleeding heart liberals out there who sympathize with his situation, which he put himself in, you should look at his record. This is not the first time he has been charged with endangering his young children. He has a conviction in Ohio as well. To blame someone other than him for his actions is unacceptable and irresponsible.
Posted by: Rachel C on Aug 10, 2008 at 04:36 PM
One of Presteras Finest!
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 10, 2008 at 02:35 PM
Pablo, I swear I wish you would get off your high horse. This is a person that has never had any run-ins with the law, has a college degree, and due to some poor choices that he has made has ended up in jail. You do not know the circumstances in this situation but are the first to suggest capital punishment. You and I both know that you are not perfect(but you claim to be.) Get over yourself PLEASE! You know what they say about people that live in glass houses-make sure your home is made of reinforced glass. And you without sin PLEASE cast the first stone. Worry about what's in your own closet before you speak on the inventory in someone else's.
Posted by: S on Aug 10, 2008 at 01:35 AM
wow! I think I know this guy!
Posted by: Debbie on Aug 9, 2008 at 11:17 PM
I witnessed this police chase and know that even though it says it was a low speed chase, it was a very scary feeling for bystanders to watch. The guy seemed to just drive as if nothing was wrong at first. My friend and I saw his face as he drove past. However, we were shocked to find out that there was a small child in the car. We was scared enough to hurry and get out of there. We were at the 3rd avenue section down below McKorkle Machine.I am glad that they caught him especially after finding out about the small child in the car. We was at the small yard sale on the corner when it happened.
Posted by: chad on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Good job HPD rough him up, thats what some people need!
Posted by: Tim on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:12 PM
LOL if you goto http://www.wvrja.com/ you can see a pic of him if you look under daily incarcerations for the Western Regional Jail and he has a bandage above his eye.
Posted by: So funny on Aug 9, 2008 at 09:11 PM
He got injured cause he made a fool out of the police, and all of 9th, and 10th ave seen it and was out laughing at how the guy was just calmly smoking a cig and using his blinkers, and regular, undercover and MU police were lost on how this guy kept evading the arrest.
Posted by: Just wondering??? on Aug 9, 2008 at 08:38 PM
Where is 7th St & Charleston Ave? I thought Charleston Ave started on 12th St & went to 20th St. Also, what made the police notice him that started the chase?
Posted by: to anonymous @ 8:07 on Aug 9, 2008 at 08:29 PM
anon @ 8:o7 hpd might not be idiots but obviously you are. anytime you are being chased you are not being careful or reasonable why would you be drinking and driving with a baby in the car did you not see dui are you that silly
Posted by: anonymous on Aug 9, 2008 at 08:28 PM
I know this man and I am saddened to hear about this. He has a working man who tried to keep his family together. Don't judge him by these desperate actions that were wrong, but he obviously felt totally helpless. Everyone needs to know the whole story about the situation that he was trapped in and the love he had for his children. The first mistake he made was the choice of his children's mother, but there isn't enough room on this page to even go there. Sorry for what happened, Brent, but maybe now you can get away from her.
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 9, 2008 at 08:26 PM
It wasnt a jab at the police it was a jab at the kids father!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 9, 2008 at 08:07 PM
Life in jeopardy? Maybe you didn't read the under 30mph part. I'm sure the officers were trained well enough to realize that there was an infant child in the back. HPD aren't idiots.
Posted by: Pablo on Aug 9, 2008 at 07:50 PM
The suspect was slightly injured during arrest? Good. I know it shouldn't be left up to the police, but the courts should sentence physical punishment as well as jail/prison time. Perhaps that would make some thing more before committing future crimes.
Posted by: Lisa on Aug 9, 2008 at 07:32 PM
You know he probably would have been in less trouble if he had just stayed and not try to flee the scene. But instead he had to flee and now he is facing more charges.
Posted by: Janet on Aug 9, 2008 at 07:22 PM
"The suspect was slightly injured as he was arrested". He He. I love it. Punk.
Posted by: thats crazy on Aug 9, 2008 at 06:09 PM
why would someone put their childs life in jeopardy to get away from the police.....
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