BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly leading police officers on a high-speed chase on a motorcycle through three counties.
Joshua A. Tenney, 31, was arrested for fleeing from an officer in a vehicle with reckless disregard for public safety and driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense, both felonies.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Deputy Tyler Gordon with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, on Saturday, May 23, Gordon spotted a white and blue Yamaha Street motorcycle traveling north on the Vicksburg Road displaying no registration plate.
Gordon attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle near River Place Apartments in Buckhannon by activating the blue emergency lights on his patrol vehicle. The driver of the motorcycle, later identified as Tenney, then allegedly fled from Gordon by immediately passing numerous vehicles despite a double yellow line at speeds of over 50 miles per hour in a posted 25-mile-per-hour zone.
He then allegedly failed to yield at the stop sign at the intersection of Vicksburg and Old Elkins roads.
According to the report, once on Route 151, the Old Elkins Road, Tenney allegedly continued to pass vehicles on a double yellow line and travel in the wrong (opposing) lane of travel numerous times. The file says that at one point, the motorcycle reached speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour while on Route 151, while continuing to travel east into Randolph County.
Once in Randolph County, Tenney decided to turn around. He “nearly collided” with Gordon’s patrol vehicle while turning north, back toward U.S. Route 33, the complaint says. The chase continued west on Route 33 East, back into Upshur and then, eventually into Lewis County.
According to the file, the vehicle again reached speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour on U.S. Route 33 in an area marked by a 65 mile-per-hour speed limit. The motorcycle failed to yield to a busy red traffic light at the intersection of Brushy Fork Road and Route 33 and continued into Lewis County.
According to the report, once in Lewis County, the motorcycle turned around again, circling back eastward into Upshur County. Tenney was eventually apprehended near Upshur-Randolph County line and Boy Scout Camp Road by Cpl. Dewaine Linger of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
After identifying the motorcyclist as Tenney, officers were notified that court records showed Tenney’s license was currently revoked for an active DUI effective May 24, 2011. Tenney had two prior convictions of driving revoked for DUI on Nov. 15, 2011 and Nov. 14, 2019 in Upshur County, the complaint states.
Magistrate Kay Hurst set bail at $20,000 for fleeing from officer in a vehicle with reckless disregard for public safety and $10,000 for driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense.
If convicted on the fleeing with reckless disregard charge, Tenney will face a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000 and imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years. He could also face confinement for not less than one nor more than three years and a fine of not less than $3,000 nor more than $5,000 for driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense.
