by Geoff Fox
A Berkeley Springs man who led Hancock police on a pursuit into West Virginia was arrested in Frederick County last week.
According to Hancock Police Chief Rich Miller, Christopher Jay McCauley was picked up in Frederick County, Maryland, on Thursday, May 10, and is being held on $10,000 bond pending a bond review hearing.
Miller said McCauley has been charged with fleeing and eluding, driving without a license, and driving revoked.
West Virginia State Police Cpl. S. Smith said McCauley will also face extradition to West Virginia to face charges related to an April 13 accident at the Hancock bridge.
McCauley led Miller on a pursuit from the 2-mile marker on Interstate 70, onto southbound U.S. 522, and into West Virginia before striking another vehicle.
As McCauley crossed the US 522 Bridge, he allegedly began to pass vehicles in the northbound lanes.
When in West Virginia, McCauley’s Mustang struck the rear of another vehicle carrying two Morgan County residents.
Miller said in a complaint the Mustang appeared to have disabling front-end damage, but McCauley still tried to flee the scene. The two passengers in the struck vehicle were not injured, police said.
Cpl. Smith responded the accident scene at the bridge while members of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department assisted in trying to locate the Mustang.
Officers received multiple reports from the area that drivers had seen the Mustang with heavy front-end damage and no hood.
Cpl. Smith later located several pieces of the vehicle along roadways, including a front bumper and hood. A tag on the bumper was a Maryland tag belonging to a Kia.
The next day, officers located the Mustang in a field along Camp Harmison Road east of Berkeley Springs. The vehicle contained items that further connected McCauley to it and the accident.
