(A) No person shall by threats, menaces, acts or otherwise, forcibly or illegally hinder or obstruct, or attempt to hinder or obstruct, any law enforcement officer, probation officer or parole officer acting in his or her official capacity.
(B) (1) No person shall, with intent to impede or obstruct a law enforcement officer in the conduct of an investigation of a felony offense, knowingly and willfully make a materially false statement; provided that, the provisions of this division (B) shall not apply to statements made by a spouse, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, half-sibling, child, stepchild or grandchild, whether related by blood or marriage, of the person under investigation.
(2) Statements made by the person under investigation may not be used as the basis for prosecution under this division (B).
(3) For the purposes of this division (B), LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER shall not include watchman, state police or college security personnel.
(C) No person shall intentionally flee or attempt to flee by any means other than the use of a vehicle from any law enforcement officer, probation officer or parole officer acting in his or her official capacity who is attempting to make a lawful arrest of the person and who knows or reasonably believes that the officer is attempting to arrest him or her.
(D) No person shall intentionally flee or attempt to flee in a vehicle from any law enforcement officer, probation officer or parole officer acting in his or her official capacity, after the officer has given a clear visual or audible signal directing the person to stop.
(E) For purposes of this section, VEHICLE includes any motor vehicle, motorcycle, motorboat, all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile, as those terms are defined in W.Va. Code § 17A-1-1, whether or not it is being operated on a public highway at the time and whether or not it is licensed by the state.
(F) For purposes of this section, FLEE and FLEEING do not include any person’s reasonable attempt to travel to a safe place, allowing the pursuing law enforcement officer, probation officer or parole officer to maintain appropriate surveillance, for the purpose of complying with the officer’s direction to stop.
(G) No person shall refuse or fail to comply with any lawful order, direction or signal of a police officer.
(Prior Code, § 501.02) Penalty, see § 130.99
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see W.Va. Code § 61-5-17