Police seek Fairview man following chase

By Paul Fallon
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT April 07, 2009 01:42 am

— Police have issued an arrest warrant for a Fairview man who led officers on a chase through the woods Sunday afternoon.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Henry J. Clayton Jr., 38, for four counts of wanton endangerment stemming from a domestic dispute Sunday afternoon on Salt Lick Run Road. Marion County Sheriff Joe Carpenter said other charges are pending.
Clayton eluded officers at the scene Sunday afternoon. However, officers continued to search for Clayton throughout Monday.
The search for Clayton began Sunday after officers were called to Salt Lick Run Road for a domestic disturbance. When officers arrived on the scene, Clayton allegedly fled in his pickup truck, Carpenter said.
“When his truck got stuck he then fled on foot,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter said he was not sure if Clayton was armed.
County officers called in a dog and its handler Grant Town Police Chief Matt Biggie to help with the search. Biggie said Czar, the police dog, immediately picked up Clayton’s trail near the abandoned pickup truck.
The dog led officers through the woods, following Clayton’s trail, which led back to Salt Lick Road, Biggie said. However, that’s where the trail ended, Biggie added.
“Most of the time, when a trail ends at a road like that one did, it means that the suspect caught a ride with someone,” Biggie said.
According to the criminal complaint on file at the Marion County Magistrate Clerk’s office, Clayton allegedly threatened family members. The complaint also reads that Clayton allegedly had a gun when the threats were made. Biggie confirmed that it was suspected that Clayton was armed when he began the search using the dog.
“I had to take a couple of officers into the woods with me to help with the search because we thought he had a gun,” Biggie said. “Those officers did a great job helping me out.”
Carpenter is asking anyone with information concerning Clayton’s whereabouts call the Marion County Sheriff’s Department at 304-367-5300.
E-mail Paul Fallon at pfallon@timeswv.com.