Stolen car recovered, suspect on run in multi-state search

LINCOLN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Charles Workman has been on the run since Wednesday when he allegedly stole a car from a gas station in South Point, Ohio.

“The victim went in to purchase some soft drinks for herself and her husband and she came out and the car was gone,” said Captain J.J. Napier of the West Hamlin Police Department.

Napier said police tracked Workman’s movements through use of stolen credit cards.

“The purse was inside the vehicle along with their cell phone and he has been using the credit cards in her purse. They of course canceled them, but there were some that he did use,” he said.

“He was in Inez, Kentucky, he was in South Williamson, Kentucky, he was in Williamson, West Virginia, he was in Harts, West Virginia, he was in Branchland, West Virginia. So he was all over bouncing back and forth.”

Thursday, Workman and the car were spotted by the owner’s husband at a Speedway in Branchland.

West Hamlin Police chased him on long branch and lost him around Beech Fork.

“I haven’t dealt with this type of individual that wanted to get away so bad,” he said “I’ve been in several pursuits in my career. But he wandered away badly, so bad that he did not care who he harmed to get away.”

Captain Napier says he was following Workman on Long Branch Road Thursday afternoon when they reached a Lincoln County school bus dropping off children. Napier said Workman kept driving past the school bus at speeds nearing 90 miles per hour.

“He would pass people and on the wrong side of the road and curves. And you know, as law enforcement officers, we can’t do that. We have to take public safety at heart when we’re out there trying to catch the bad guys, but also we got to protect the good guys.”

The Ford Fusion Workman stole was recovered Friday in Cabell County.

Workman himself was last spotted in Huntington early Friday afternoon.

Police warn not to approach him - just call 911.

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