By CHAD ABSHIRE

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON - A man was arrested yesterday in connection to motorcycle and ATV theft that occurred in November.

Williamson Chief of Police C.D. Rockel told the Daily News that Ronald “Ronnie” Pope, 40, of Williamson, is the “chief suspect” in the case of the missing vehicles.

Rockel said that Williamson Police Department Patrolmen J.F. Taylor III and Bert Gibson responded to a case of domestic violence earlier on Monday between Pope and a juvenile behind the Three Way Club in Williamson.

“When officers arrived,” Rockel said, “both of them took flight.”

The officers apprehended Pope on Third Avenue after a brief chase, but the juvenile escaped.

Pope is being charged with having participated in a theft of seven motorcycles and ATV’s stolen from a warehouse in Williamson, during the late night hours of Saturday, Nov. 5, and into Sunday morning, Nov. 6.

The warehouse is used by used by Hatfield-McCoy Power Sports, a business in Goody, Ky.

The estimated value in stolen property ranged from $30,000 to $50,000 in total, Rockel said.

Three of the seven missing vehicles have been recovered by the WPD: a Honda CRF 250, a Honda 450 and a Honda 80. Two motorcycles and two ATV’s are still unaccounted for.

Rockel said that Pope and two juveniles broke into the warehouse on two separate occasions. He said that he will file two juvenile petition arrests soon, as well as warrants for the arrests of two other adults. Further information was not available.

Pope faces multiple counts of breaking and entering, grand larceny charges for each stolen vehicle and fleeing police.

This is the first arrest made regarding the stolen vehicles. In total, Rockel suspects five people behind the theft.

The chief also asked for the patience from the community.

“Some people don’t understand that this takes a long time,” Rockel said. “We have to take our time on things like this because everyone has rights. We have to be sure.”

He also said that this would “be the first of many things to happen” in the case.

If anyone has information regarding the theft, they are encouraged to contact the WPD at (304) 235-2570.