Violence toward police prompts concern - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

A series of incidents involving violence directed at law enforcement officers in West Virginia is creating some concern.

There have been several situations just in the last several days.

This past weekend, a man was arrested after a chase that involved a man swerving toward four officers.

In Oak Hill a search is under way after a man who investigators say shot an officer.

And in Logan, a city police officer said he was responding to a shoplifting call when a suspect ran over his feet on a motorcycle. Logan police said the suspect then fled to Holden and nearly hit a West Virginia State trooper before finally crashing into a Logan Sheriff's Department vehicle.

"I think a lot of it is drug related," said Logan Police Chief E. K. Harper. "You get some of these individuals on bath salts and stuff and they are just completely out of their mind."

Investigators said they found what they believed to be cocaine on the person who ran over the officers feet. They said the suspect was extremely impaired.

Harper says there is now no such thing as a routine arrest because incidents involving violence toward officers are becoming so common.