Suspect named in chase that ended in a head-on crash

UPDATE: 3/18/24 6:00 p.m.

The criminal complaint for the pursuit that started in Putnam County and ended in Mason County said Bernard Legg evaded spike strips deployed by law enforcement twice, nearly hit two school buses and hit a mailbox.

Putnam County Sheriff Robert Eggleton said Legg was known to law enforcement in the county.

“He drove 60 miles an hour on a hard road and 25 miles an hour on the gravel road,” said Eggleton. “ It knocked the windshield out of the vehicle and he continued to drive even without a windshield.”

The criminal complaint said the Ford SUV rolled over after it hit a Mason County deputy’s cruiser head-on.

“He is known to Putnam County and known to the authorities here he was apprehended after hitting a Mason County deputy’s cruiser,” said Eggleton. “It is probably totaled it hit him head on which crushed the front of the vehicle there were two deputies inside the vehicle but they were okay.”

Troopers said Legg was forcibly removed from the vehicle and arrested.

UPDATE: 3/16/24 3:50 p.m.

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ)- A man has been arrested in connection to a chase that ended in a head-on crash involving a Mason County Deputy cruiser.

According to West Virginia State Police, Bernard Legg, 36, of Fraziers Bottom, was arrested for multiple charges including two counts of malicious assault and three counts of destruction of property.

Troopers say it was a low-speed pursuit, and that Legg was suspected of driving under the influence during the chase.

Putnam County Sheriff Bobby Eggleton told WSAZ this happened around 2:45 p.m. Friday.

Legg is currently in Western Regional Jail.

UPDATE 3/16/24 1:40 p.m.

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ)- Two deputies have been released from the hospital after a driver hit a deputy’s cruiser head-on Friday during a chase, according to Mason County Sheriff Corey Miller.

Miller said the suspect rammed into a Mason County K-9 cruiser head-on.

The deputies were taken to the hospital following the crash Friday.

Miller said the deputies are banged up and stiff, but only had minor injuries.

No further information has been released.

West Virginia State Police is handling the investigation.

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A driver hit a deputy’s cruiser head-on Friday during a chase that stretched for miles and into two counties, Putnam County Sheriff Bobby Eggleton said.

The sheriff said the chase lasted more than an hour on backroads, eventually crossing into Mason County.

Eggleton said the deputy inside the cruiser was not injured from the crash.

Law enforcement officers were able to bring the pursuit to a stop by deploying spike strips.

The suspect’s name and charges were unavailable late Friday night. Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest.