BECKLEY, W.Va. — State Police say a woman involved in a pursuit which resulted in a crash on U.S. Route 19 in Beckley Thursday may have had a reason to flee the trooper who was trying to pull her over.
Debra Dillon, 45, remains hospitalized after the crash with two other vehicles at the intersection of U.S 19 and Route 16. The crash also left six other people, including four children ranging in age from 7 to 14, injured.
Dillon was first noticed at the North Beckley Toll Plaza picking up change on the highway. When troopers pulled up, she got into her car and refused to speak with them according to Sergeant Tim Bowers of the State Police.
“She was not paying attention, she wasn’t complying and was being uncooperative inside the vehicle when we tried to make contact with her,” Bowers said. “At that point she just stuck it down in drive and floored it.”
Following the wreck, Bowers learned Dillon had been involved in a domestic incident at her home with her elderly boyfriend and troopers were actually at the home investigating the case.
“She had left her boyfriend’s house and that’s when we encountered her,” he said. “We had no idea what was going on.”
State Police from the Beckley detachment learned Dillon had assaulted her boyfriend and left in his truck without his consent. She was driving the truck in the accident. Bowers said Dillon appeared to be impaired and was weaving all over the road which prompted the pursuit. He believes the two incidents are connected.
“I believe she knew the police were after her which is why she wouldn’t cooperate on the traffic stop and why she ended up taking off,” he said. “She whipped up on her boyfriend pretty good. He’s an elderly fellow and she’s a lot younger than he is and he’s frail and didn’t appear he’d be able to defend himself.”
Dillon faces a range of charges both from the accident and from the domestic incident. She remained hospitalized Friday morning at Raleigh General Hospital.