WESTOVER, W.Va. – A Fairmont man is accused of ramming two Westover police cruisers and injuring four officers in a Sunday pursuit.
Deputies from Monongalia County were patrolling University Towne Centre Drive when they observed Tai Howser, 21, swerving all over the road and being unable to maintain his lane while driving 65 in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.
Howser turned into the WestRidge development and drove into a dead end near FedEx. When police ordered him to comply with guns drawn, Howser allegedly drove into a Westover police car head-on, injuring two officers.
Howser continued down Lawless and Martin Hollow Roads, where he intentionally hit the rear of another Westover police cruiser, injuring two more officers.
Eventually, Westover police used a PIT maneuver to stop Howser.
Howser and the police officers were treated at a local hospital, where medical workers said the suspect appeared to be extremely intoxicated.
Howser has been charged with destruction of property, fleeing with reckless indifference, fleeing while intoxicated, four counts of causing bodily injury while fleeing, and four counts of malicious assault on a law enforcement officer.