WELLSBURG — Two men were sentenced, one for driving with reckless disregard and the other for driving under the influence causing serious injury, in Brooke County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Jason Mitter, 39, of Wellsburg was sentenced to one to five years in prison after pleading guilty to driving with reckless disregard for others in connection with an incident in August 2021.

Brooke County Prosecutor Joseph Barki said Mitter led Brooke County sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit along McCords Hill Road, a hilly, windy road with steep dropoffs “that is hazardous under the best circumstances.” Barki said Mitter’s speed reached more than 60 miles per hour through an area with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

According to police reports, the chase ended with Mitter abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot.

Barki said he considers such an offense as very serious because it puts at risk not only the pursuing officers but also community members. He said such incidents have become an epidemic, with more than a dozen occurring in the last year.

He said every year an average of 320 people in the U.S. are killed and thousands are injured as a result of chases and in West Virginia in 2020, there were 23.

He added 27 percent of the deaths were bystanders.

First Judicial Circuit Court Ronald Wilson said he understands the severity of the crime but in considering his sentence, would put more weight on related criminal charges in Mitter’s past.

“He’s had many chances before today,” said Wilson, who added he believes Mitter was lying when he said there was another person behind the wheel that day.

The sentencing came following positive testimony regarding Mitter’s character presented by Public Defender Robert Catlett, his legal counsel.

It included a woman who said Mitter came to her family’s rescue when her house was on fire and a relative with whom he has been living since his arrest.

Also sentenced was Matthew L. Edwards, 36, of Weirton, after pleading guilty to third-offense driving under the influence and driving in an impaired state and causing serious bodily injury to another.

As part of a plea agreement reached by Catlett and Assistant Brooke County Prosecutor David F. Cross, Edwards will serve up to five years in prison for the first offense and up to 10 years for the latter offense, with the two to be served concurrently.

Cross said on Nov. 29, Edwards was driving under the influence of alcohol when his vehicle struck another vehicle at the intersection of state Route 2 and Freedom Way in Weirton.

He said as a result the other vehicle flipped and its driver suffered various injuries, including to his spine.

On Tuesday, Wilson also accepted a plea agreement for Darien Banyas, 28, of Mingo Junction, and issued a sentence of one year of supervised probation for a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.

Assistant Brooke County Prosecutor John Kyle said a Brooke County sheriff’s deputy observed Banyas driving erratically and failed to stop for some time after he activated his lights and siren.

Kyle said the officer and a K-9 unit found marijuana and methamphetamine in the vehicle.

In connection with the incident, a case is pending against her passenger, Ryann Geary, 33, of Steubenville on a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.