KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK)—A man indicted for allegedly leading police on a 20-mile-long high-speed chase with his baby in the backseat accepted a plea agreement in Kanawha County court on Monday.
20-year-old Dakota Taylor was indicted for strangulation, second offense domestic battery, assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing from an officer, fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others, and child neglect creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury.
On Monday, Taylor pleaded guilty to strangulation and child neglect. Each of those could come with a 1-to-5-year sentence.
According to the criminal complaint, Taylor failed to stop for Charleston Police Department in Kanawha County, prompting a chase initiated by the South Charleston Police Department. They reportedly chased Taylor westbound on U.S. Route 60 into Putnam County and then into Cabell County.
Police said Taylor reached speeds of over 85 mph in Culloden where the speed limit was 40 mph. They said he passed numerous other drivers and “disregarded the center line” on U.S. 60.
The chase reportedly went on for over 20 miles, and when officers tried to force Taylor to stop, they said he swerved at them.
They were finally successful in stopping Taylor, and they took him into custody.
His 17-month-old son was in the back seat of the car the whole time, police said.
Taylor was originally charged in Cabell County with Fleeing with Reckless Indifference and Gross Child Neglect by a Parent Creating Substantial Risk of Death or Serious Injury. At that time, more charges were expected to eventually come out of Kanawha and Putnam counties.
On Thursday, the Kanawha County Grand Jury gave out 35 indictments and announced those indictments the following Tuesday. Taylor was included in the 35 Kanawha County indictments.
For Taylor’s charges in Kanawha County, he will appear in court in front of Judge Tera Salango on July 1 at 10 a.m.
Taylor will be sentenced on Nov. 21 at 9:30 a.m.