CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A man wanted in connection with a murder in Clay County Saturday was killed by police in Charleston after a pursuit that got near a large crowd attending a classic car festival near the Kanawha River.
Police were looking for Samuel David Lanham, 25, after finding a woman identified as Jody Thomas dead at her home on Laurel Creek Road in Clay County.
Later in the day, police spotted Lanham in North Charleston and a pursuit began. It went in and out of Charleston and eventually continued onto Kanawha Boulevard and got close to the Rod Run and Doo Wop Festival. Lanham, who was shooting at police, turned off the Boulevard and moments later crashed his vehicle into another car at the intersection of Leon Sullivan Way and Washington Street East. Lanham’s car then went through the window of a hotel.
Lanham was shot and killed at the intersection. Two people in the other car were injured.
State police troopers, Charleston police and other law enforcement agencies were part of the pursuit.
The investigation into the Clay County death, the pursuit and shooting were continuing Saturday night.
The crash took place at the election headquarters for Sen. Joe Manchin. Manchin’s campaign Twitter page provided an update that staff was OK:
Everyone at Manchin campaign HQ is OK.
— Joe Manchin (@JoeManchinWV) October 7, 2017