Police chase, standoff ensues after suspect allegedly burglarizes 13 vehicles

HURRICANE — Following a chase and standoff with police, a Hurricane City man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly burglarizing 13 vehicles.

At approximately 12:35 p.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the area of 5286 W. Industrial Drive in Hurricane on a report of a theft in progress in an area marked “no trespassing,” Hurricane City Police Sgt. Brandon Buell said.

A business employee allegedly observed a man – later identified as Andrew Weston Bailey – removing items from a vehicle, Buell said. The employee confronted the man and alerted authorities.

Bailey subsequently fled the scene in a green Ford Ranger, traveling on a road that led to a dead end street, police said. Witnesses reported that Bailey bailed out of the vehicle and took off on foot.

Officers arrived on scene and found Bailey on a mountainside, hiding behind rocks, the arresting officer wrote in a sworn statement.

Bailey refused to comply with officers’ commands to come down the mountain. Due to safety concerns, officers did not immediately approach Bailey, Buell said.

After some time, several officers hiked up the mountainside, detained Bailey and escorted him back down the mountain.

During an investigation into the incident, police found that Bailey had unlawfully entered and taken items from 13 different vehicles, Buell said.

While searching Bailey’s vehicle, officers allegedly located a large fixed blade homemade knife along with drug items, authorities said.

Bailey was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an Information in 5th District Court accusing Bailey of three third-degree felony counts of theft, criminal mischief and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person; 14 class A misdemeanor counts of burglary of a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance; and two class B misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bailey is scheduled to appear in 5th District Court before Judge John Walton Friday afternoon.

As this report is published, Bailey remains in police custody, according to booking information.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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