CROSS LANES, W.Va. — Kanawha County authorities say two men robbed and shot a man Monday morning and then led police on a pursuit that included the suspects going the wrong way on busy Interstate 64 before they were tracked down in South Charleston.
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Joe Crawford said Darius Harmon, 39, of Elkview, was meeting Richard Dangott, 29, of Ravenswood and Jonathan “Baby Boy” Cochran, 31, of Charleston, on Doc Bailey Road in Cross Lanes to sell them a gun.
“Apparently the motive was robbery,” Crawford said. “Mr. Harmon was going to sell one of the individuals a gun and it turned into a robbery.”
According to the sheriff’s department, “Cochran stole the firearm and a struggle ensued while inside of Harmon’s vehicle. Cochran cut the victim’s face with an unknown weapon. Dangott brandished a firearm and offered to shoot the victim. The two suspects exited the vehicle and Harmon exited as well. Harmon was shot at least one time outside of his vehicle.”
The shots were fired at just after 10:30 a.m. Harmon was shot in the back. One of the bullets went through the back window of his car. Harmon drove to Walnut Valley Drive in Cross Lanes for help.
Crawford said deputies began looking for a white Kia in the Roxalana Road area. They spotted it going at a high rate of speed. They put down stop sticks but the driver avoided them and entered the interstate going east in the westbound lanes at Dunbar, apparently exiting the interstate in South Charleston. The police did not follow the car when it entered the interstate.
Police then received calls that someone was trying to get into cars in South Charleston. Crawford said police flooded the area and arrested Dangott near the intersection of 2nd Ave. and Central Ave. Cochran was found in the Spring Hill area near Thomas Memorial Hospital. The Kia was parked on the Joe Holland service lot.
Both men are charged with first degree robbery and malicious wounding.
Crawford said he’s thankful no one else was hurt.
“Obviously our heartfelt prayers go out to Mr. Harmon, hopefully it’s a speedy recovery. He’s in stable condition. He did undergo surgery but it could have been worse,” Crawford said.
Crawford said deputies were processing three crime scenes for most of the day Monday and additional charges are pending.