FAIRMONT, W.Va. — State Police confirmed the man wanted in connection with a series of pursuits on July 25 and August 2 in Marion County died from gunfire in an officer-involved shooting during the latter pursuit.
Philip Rhoades, 28, was facing 22 assorted charges in total between charges accrued before July 25 and charges added following multiple police pursuits, according to the Marion County Magistrate Clerk’s Office.
On July 25, police discovered Rhoades, who had multiple warrants out for his arrest, at a residence on Little Mill Fall Road. He had been living at a home without the owner’s permission, according to the criminal complaint.
He fled in a white truck registered to Dominion Energy that had been previously stolen from a Goshen Road worksite in Monongalia County. Upon his initial flight from police, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department reports Rhoades “recklessly drove at [the] deputy.” That, in turn, forced the deputy to jump out of the way of the oncoming vehicle.
The July 25 pursuit took Rhoades through a number of rural Marion County neighborhoods, including Worthington and Monongah. During the course of the pursuit, he is accused of stealing at least four vehicles.
Rhoades crashed the white truck registered to Dominion Energy on Little Mill Fall Road. While fleeing on foot, he is then accused of stealing a Ford Explorer from a nearby residence. Rhoades was pursued through Monongah, but police ended that pursuit out of fear for the public’s safety.
Rhoades led another Sheriff’s Deputy on a pursuit along U.S. 19, which also included driving through private yards and eventually into Roger’s Village Trailer Court. He then crashed the Explorer while trying to gain access to the rail trail at Everson Bridge.
Rhoades then stole a GMC truck and traveled the trail toward Worthington, according to the criminal complaint. The vehicle become inoperable when Rhoades attempted to drive it through a field.
He then stole a fourth vehicle, a white Suzuki, before eventually escaping his police pursuers.
The second pursuit was initiated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on August 2 near the Mannington area. Rhoades was said to be driving a stolen Jeep Wrangler. He was pursued into the Parrish Run Road area, which is where the shooting involving a Sheriff’s Deputy occurred.
The name of the officer involved in the incident is not being released at this time.
West Virginia State Police is investigating.