Senior Trooper J.D. Richards filed a complaint in the Magistrate Court of Calhoun County on December 29th, 2025, stating that on On Monday, December 29th, 2025, at approximately midnight he was monitoring traffic at the intersection of WV Route 16 and U.S. 33/119 in Arnoldsburg, when he observed an ATV approach the intersection heading Eastbound on U.S. 33/119 and head south on WV State Route 16. The ATV was traveling at a high rate of speed and operating in the center of the lane with plenty of space to move to the shoulder or further to the right.
Trooper Richards pulled behind the ATV observing that it was traveling 46 MPH via Doppler mounted radar, driving in the center of the lane once again. The Trooper initiated overhead emergency lights and siren to signify the ATV to stop. The ATV operator, who was wearing a black hoodie, sweatpants, and black face-mask did not stop. Trooper Richards then utilized his Duty Vehicle’s mega phone advising the operator to come to a stop. The operator of the ATV began driving erratically maintaining the high rate of speed for the ATV. Trooper Richards observed the ATV cross entirely into the opposite lane of traffic when going around blind turns several times and after observing this behavior, terminated the attempt to stop the vehicle and followed the vehicle at a safe distance. This Trooper observed the vehicle travel from Arnoldsburg, WV near the 13,000 block to Walker Creek Road in Clay County, WV where the operator cut up an ATV path. This ATV had a distinct feature of a windshield attached to the front and was dark in color.
On the same date, at approximately 12:30 a.m. Trooper Richards stopped at 802 Arnoldsburg Rd., otherwise known as the Par Mar Gas station to see if the individual had stopped at the store prior to fleeing from the Trooper. Trooper Richards observed on Par Mar CCTV Footage that on the same date at 12:02 a.m. an individual pulls into the Par Mar Gas station and parks at Pump #2 on the same ATV that fled from the Trooper. The male, dressed in the same clothes observed in the prior pursuit, enters the store and buys some items. After seeing the male without a face covering, the male was identified as Samual Elmore who is familiar to Trooper Richards from prior interactions. Mr. Elmore takes off on the ATV from Par Mar Heading Eastbound on U.S. 119/33 at approximately 12:10 a.m.
Samuel Elliott Elmore was arrested on February 9th, 2026 52o misdemeanors of an ATV Violation and Driving Left of Center and a felony charge of Fleeing from an Officer. He is currently being held in the WV Central Regional Jail with his bond being set at $25,000. A preliminary hearing has been set for February 18th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
