February 17th, 2016 by WCBC Radio
A Virginia man was injured late Tuesday when he crashed his pickup truck into an unoccupied police vehicle in the Cooper Mountain area of Hampshire County.
Jeremy Rippeon of Stephenson suffered apparently minor injuries in the 9:40 p.m. crash. The Cumberland Times News reports the crash concluded a high-speed police pursuit stemming from a domestic violence complaint earlier in the evening in the Winchester area of Frederick County, Va., according to Hampshire County Chief Deputy Nathan Sions.
"They chased him for a good while before it got into West Virginia," said Sions.
No officers were injured in the incident.
Tire-deflating spike strips were used by West Virginia State Police before Rippeon lost control of his truck on an unnamed road at Cooper Mountain. The suspect vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it rammed the passenger side of a 2012 Chevrolet Caprice police vehicle of the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office.
The police cruiser was demolished. The suspect vehicle was disabled and towed from the scene and then seized as evidence, Sions said.
Charges are pending against Rippeon in Hampshire County, including reckless driving and fleeing and eluding police. Drunk driving charges could also be filed, pending Rippeon's blood alcohol level determined at the hospital, Sions said.
Rippeon is also reportedly facing multiple charges in Frederick County in connection with the incident.
The pursuit included the Capon Bridge Police Department.
Various first-responder units in Hampshire County also responded to the crash scene.
"I'm most thankful that no officers were injured," said Sions.
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