A man looking for his brother's stolen side-by-side utility vehicle chased a man he believed to be driving it, struck the vehicle with his Jeep and then shot the man driving it, according to police.
Police received a report of a stolen all-terrain vehicle in the Clendenin area early Monday. Sgt. Brian Humphreys said the ATV was stolen from Ocean Drive off Dutch Ridge Road.
Police believe the owner of the vehicle told his brother the ATV was stolen and asked him to be on the look out for it.
The owner's brother was driving on W.Va. 114 near the Big Chimney Bridge when he saw another man driving what he believed to be the stolen side-by-side. Police say the ATV does match the description of the stolen vehicle.
Police say the brother turned around and followed the ATV. The two vehicles then collided in the area of Lambert Terrace and Lowell Drive, and gunshots were fired.
Rutherford said at least five shots were fired. Officers don't know if both drivers were firing at each other, or if only the man driving the Jeep was shooting. One gun has been recovered.
The victim was struck by at least one bullet and taken by private vehicle to Charleston Area Medical Center's General Hospital. Humphreys said he had undergone surgery and was listed in critical but stable condition Monday afternoon.
Police also believe that a pickup truck following the side-by-side turned around after the shooting. Charleston police found two women, one with blood on her, in a pick-up matching the description in the Northgate Business Park area off of Greenbrier Street.
"The crime scene is spread over quite a distance between here and Greenbrier Street off of Northgate," Rutherford said. "It's going to take awhile to get all the facts together."
Police were taking statements and interviewing witnesses Monday. The man driving the Jeep was detained, interviewed and released. No one had been charged as of Monday afternoon. Humphreys said police would consult with the prosecutor's office about potential charges.
Police don't know if the man driving the Jeep and the man driving by the side-by-side knew each other.
W.Va. 114 was closed following the shooting but had reopened by shortly after 2 p.m.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.