Hurricane , Putnam County , West Virginia

A fugitive leads police on a high speed chase in Putnam County that ends up costing him his life.

The chase only lasted about a minute, but the driver, now identified as Jan Dennis Perry, 44, of Clarksburg made a deadly decision after an apparent failed shoplifting attempt.

"Very dangerous man. Very dangerous. Why was he even out of jail?" asks Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards.

Police are calling Perry a career criminal, who made a dangerous and deadly decision to run from the law.

"The man is wanted for extradition anywhere in the United States," explained Sgt. Allen Savilla of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

Just after 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, police were called for shoplifting complaint at the Hurricane Wal-Mart. They say Perry was attempting to steal a TV, video games, food, and beer, when he realized staff was onto him, and he was likely going to get caught.

"He took off, got in his car, Wal-Mart gave a description of the vehicle to the Hurricane Police Department," said Edwards.

Police say they saw Perry speeding down the hill coming from Wal-Mart, running stop lights and stop signs in the process. He led police onto I-64 east and a short chase with speeds up to 100 mph ensued.

About a minute into the pursuit, he made an immediate right into a rest stop. He lost control, and crashed into the back of a parked semi-truck. He was pronounced dead on scene. It took firefighters more than an hour to cut his body out of the Chevy Malibu.

"If this guy would have got on the interstate the wrong way, if this guy would have hit people in the rest area. Thank goodness that semi-truck was sitting there. The semi-truck probably saved a bunch of people," Edwards said.

Police say Perry was wanted on a parole violation and had a criminal history littered with felony charges including armed robbery, grand theft auto, DUI's, battery and drugs.

"You name it, this guy's done it," said Edwards.

The investigation is now being handled by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

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Officials have released the name of the man who was killed when he fled from police after he allegedly stole items from Wal-Mart and his car ran into the back of a coal truck near a Putnam County rest stop off Interstate 64.

Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards said Jan Dennis Perry, 44, was killed in the accident. Edwards said Perry was wanted by the Department of Corrections for a parole violation. His last known address was Clarksburg, and he also had lived in Culloden.

Perry had extensive brushes with the law, including charges of robbery, grand theft auto and drug dealing.

The accident occurred about 11:15 a.m.

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A man running from police after they say he stole some items from Wal-Mart was killed when his car ran into the back of a coal truck near a Putnam County rest stop off I-64. Police say the man was a felon who was wanted on a parole violation.

The accident was reported about 11:15 a.m.

Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards told Eyewitness News that police believe the man stole some items from the Wal-Mart, and when officers attempted to pull him over, he led them on a chase down I-64. Eventually, the suspect pulled off the Interstate and drove into the back of a coal truck.

Sgt. Allen Savilla of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office says the man was a fugitive wanted for a parole violation and for extradition anywhere in the U.S.

The suspect's name has not been released. Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.

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