K-9 catches Raleigh County man after high-speed chase in Kanawha County

CLENDENIN, WV (WVNS) — A Raleigh County man was arrested and charged after a high-speed chase in Kanawha County on June 18, 2024.

44-year-old Ronald Dewayne Sims, of Beckley, was charged with fleeing from a law enforcement officer in a vehicle and showing reckless indifference to the safety of others, felon in possession of a firearm, receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, manufacture or possess with intent to deliver- a Schedule I or II narcotic or meth, manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to deliver Schedule I, II, or III.

On June 18, 2024, K-9 Jet and its handler were called to help by a Deputy after an attempted traffic stop of a stolen car.

Sims fled during the traffic stop before leading deputies on a high-speed chase through the Town of Clendenin in Kanawha County. He later purposefully drove the stolen car into the Elk River before running into the woods.

Once K-9 Jet and its handler arrived on the scene, K-9 Jet started tracking Sims near Route 4 by the tree line. Sims was seen walking beside the river and proceeded to ignore deputies requests to stop. As a result, K-9 Jet was released and stopped Sims as he tried to run.

It was revealed that Sims was a convicted felon with a long criminal history that included prior escape attempts, fleeing, and charges that included extreme violence. A gun, ammunition, and almost 100 grams of various illegal drugs were found on Sims once he was in custody.

Sims was then taken to CAMC General Hospital to be treated for the dog bite. After he was charged, he was arraigned in Kanawha County Magistrate Court and taken to South Central Regional Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.

Sims’ first court appearance in Kanawha County Magistrate Court is scheduled for June 28, 2024, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

K-9 Jet, who is a newer member with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, made its first major apprehension by catching Sims.

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