That was the situation Tuesday when a police chase in Putnam County ended in a multi-car crash. It turns out the man who suffered the worst injuries is a former state trooper.

The scenario might cause some people to question police chases, but the former trooper says if he were the officer, he would have done the same thing.

Ralph Langley and his wife of nearly 50 years are still very much in love and would very much rather be at home than in the hospital.

“I've appreciated life, most of my life,” Langley said. “There's rarely a day that I don't look up to my maker and how much I appreciate his allowing me to be here.”

For 32 years Langley walked out the door as a state trooper, and until this week, his wife Marie never got a scary phone call.

“Some of the tales he told me are frightening, and he didn't get hurt through all those years,” Marie Langley said.

However, at 74, when he went out to run some errands, someone else’s actions changed his life. The Putnam Sheriff’s Department says Andre Pardue was driving a stolen car and wouldn't stop, so a chase ensued.

“I've heard a lot of criticism of that,” Ralph Langley said. “I've heard people defend it, but if you don't try to catch the bad guy, what's the use?”

“You wonder what happens in their background that causes them to do these awful things,” Marie Langley said, but the family isn't focusing on the negative. In fact, they're able to joke about the fact that seconds before the accident, Langley filled his gas tank.

“I don't know what I'll do when it gets siphoned out,” Ralph Langley said with a laugh. “You know that's $60 worth of gasoline. That's all there is too it.”

Laughter and love, something this family looks forward to enjoying for many more years.

The accident happened on Hospital Drive in Teays Valley, right by the hospital, but the ER at CAMC Teays Valley was full, so Langley had to be taken to St. Mary’s in Huntington. He has some cracked ribs and is very banged up, but he's expected to make a full recovery.

UPDATE @ 11:39AM:
Police say they've captured the suspect who ran from the crash scene.

ORGINAL STORY @ 11:34AM:
TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A police chase in Putnam County ended with a three-car crash.

Putnam County Sheriff's Deputies were chasing a man who they say was driving a stolen Toyota 4-Runner from South Charleston.

The truck crashed head on into another vehicle at the intersection of Hospital Drive and Teays Valley Road (Route 34). A third vehicle was also hit.

We're told the driver took off running after the crash. Police now have K-9 units out looking for him. The passenger who was in the 4-Runner was critically hurt, and was not able to share information with police who the driver is.

WSAZ has a crew at the scene. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.

UPDATE @ 11:39AM:
Police say they've captured the suspect who ran from the crash scene.

ORGINAL STORY @ 11:34AM:
TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A police chase in Putnam County ended with a three-car crash.

Putnam County Sheriff's Deputies were chasing a man who they say was driving a stolen Toyota 4-Runner from South Charleston.

The truck crashed head on into another vehicle at the intersection of Hospital Drive and Teays Valley Road (Route 34). A third vehicle was also hit.

We're told the driver took off running after the crash. Police now have K-9 units out looking for him. The passenger who was in the 4-Runner was critically hurt, and was not able to share information with police who the driver is.

WSAZ has a crew at the scene. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.