On January 14, 2015 several crimes were discovered and reported by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. During that morning’s investigation it became apparent there were links between them. Three arrests have now been made in connection with these crimes.
On the morning of January 14, 2015 a burglary was reported on Church Road in Pinch, WV. Surveillance cameras showed three white males making entry into the back of the house, initially through a window. They stole items inside, ransacked the house, and may have abused the family dog (according to the family and based on the animal’s behavior).
That same morning a stolen vehicle was recovered in the Davis Creek area. The silver Chevrolet Equinox had been reported missing earlier by the Charleston Police Department. It was stolen from Fields Drive, near Chandler Drive.
Not far from where the Equinox was recovered was a garage where a resident works on cars. Several cars had been forcibly entered. One car was stolen, a blue Chevrolet S-10 Blazer.
The same morning, the stolen S-10 Blazer was recovered on Falcon Drive north of Charleston, WV. It had been crashed into a utility pole resulting in the deployment of both front airbags. The occupants fled before the crash was discovered.
Evidence linked these stolen vehicles and the burglary.
On January 14, 2015 another vehicle was stolen from the Chandler Drive area in Charleston, WV. It was a red Mitsubishi pickup truck.
On January 15, 2015 Allen Michael Burgess (24 years old of Sissonville, WV) was arrested on a breaking and entering warrant Charleston Police had obtained. That warrant was unrelated to the incidents described above. He was arrested by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. He has since been charged with burglary and grand larceny in connection with the above-described crimes. Attached is a mugshot of Mr. Burgess taken during his arrest on January 15, 2015.
On the morning of January 16, 2015 a West Virginia State Police Trooper pursued the stolen red Mitsubishi pickup truck in South Charleston, WV. The driver, Devin Craig Thaxton (18 years old of Sissonville, WV), was arrested. A passenger fled on foot and was not caught at the time. Mr. Thaxton was arrested on charges related to the pursuit and stolen vehicle. Attached is a mugshot of Mr. Thaxton taken at South Central Regional Jail following this morning’s arrest.
Later on January 16, 2015 an indictment was handed down from the Grand Jury, charging Devin Craig Thaxton in separate burglary and grand larceny incidents. He is also being charged with new warrants of burglary and grand larceny related to the above-described incidents in Kanawha County.
Later still, on January 16, 2015, warrants had been obtained for Harry Wayne Asbury (24 years old of Sissonville, WV) for burglary and grand larceny related to the crimes described above. He was spotted in Dunbar by detectives with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. They attempted to stop his vehicle, but he fled along Roxalana Road, then toward Cross Lanes on Washington Street West. The detectives stopped pursuing. Heavy traffic at that time made the pursuit more dangerous to the public than it otherwise would have been.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputies spotted the vehicle in Cross Lanes several minutes later and attempted another traffic stop. Mr. Asbury fled again, this time along Big Tyler Road. He pulled his vehicle into a driveway in the 5100 block of Big Tyler Road, then fled on foot. His female passenger was detained at the vehicle.
Deputy J. Miller and his police canine, Rocky, were on hand to assist with the foot pursuit. The dog tracked Mr. Asbury’s scent from the vehicle to an abandoned house’s basement door. During the arrest Mr. Asbury fought and a Taser was used to help subdue him.
Mr. Asbury was also charged with a probation violation. He was on probation for an underlying breaking and entering charge. Attached is a mugshot of Mr. Asbury taken during his arrest on January 16, 2015.
Also attached is a screen shot from the Church Road burglary surveillance footage.
As is always the case, the charges against Mr. Burgess, Mr. Thaxton, and Mr. Asbury are merely accusations. Each is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Corporal B. D. Humphreys
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
301 Virginia Street East,
Charleston WV 25301
desk: 304-357-0732 / cell: 304-951-7328
Follow us on Twitter: @kanawhasheriff
