On Sunday, May 18, while on routine patrol on the city streets of Ronceverte, Patrolman Jonathan King observed a male on an electric bicycle in the parking lot of the Ronceverte Service Station. The officer recognized the male as Robert Wayne Mengert, who he knew to have an outstanding felony warrant out of Augusta County Virginia.
The officer attempted to stop the individual, but the individual gave chase and the officer lost sight of him. Members of the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, Lewisburg Police Department, and Alderson Police Department arrived, and a search was conducted in and around the Island Park area. Officers located the bicycle on Island Park a couple hundred yards away from a known location of where the suspect might have been staying.
Officers approached the residence and knocked on the side door and the suspect advised “not to come in there were kids in the house, he was coming out.” Movement could be heard inside the house, and the suspect was sighted inside the house through the window. Repeated attempts were made verbally by officers for the suspect to exit the house of which he did not comply. Officers then breached the side door to find that it had been barricaded from the inside.
Entry was successfully made, and the suspect was located in the back of the house and taken into custody without incident. Patrolman King placed the suspect in the back his patrol vehicle and transported him to the Ronceverte Police Department for processing. Upon arrival at the Police Department the suspect became visibly ill, sweating profusely and was beginning to pass out. The officer was advised by his supervisor to take him to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. It was found later that prior to the officer’s entering the residence, the suspect ingested a large amount of Methamphetamine in an effort to avoid being charged with possession of the drug.
The suspect was treated and cleared from the Hospital, processed and transported to Southern Regional Jail. RPD appreciates the assistance of local departments with this apprehension.
