Published: July 01, 2009 10:48 am      

Mercer Sheriff — June 19-23, 2009

MERCER SHERIFF

June 18

• DISCHARGING A FIREARM 500 FEET FROM A DWELLING: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Harmon School Road, where a subject reported hearing a series of shots and locating a bullet in his yard. The complainant was outside working on a patio when he allegedly heard 3-4 shots fired down the hollow. Traveling in that direction, Parks located a man burning brush. The man stated he had fired several shots at a groundhog. The officer concluded one of the shots hit a nearby rock and ricocheted toward the complainant's residence. Parks advised the shooter to be more careful. The complainant did not wish to pursue charges, given the accidental nature of the incident.

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Dep. W.E. Rose made contact with Dylan Gene Howington, 19, of Princeton, and requested he turn himself in on a warrant alleging domestic battery. Howington turned himself in, and he was processed by departmental standards.

• BATTERY: Dep. J.D. Ellison arrested Ronald Carden, of Lashmeet, on a warrant alleging battery.

June 19

• DUI, CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPON, SIMPLE POSSESSION: Dep. A.M. Ballard responded to a motor vehicle crash on Littlesburg Road. The officer observed the driver leaning against the side of a silver Honda that had driven over a small embankment and collided with a tree. The officer reported that the driver appeared to be very unsteady on his feet and that his speech was slurred. After first refusing medical treatment, Ballard reported the driver then asked for medical attention. He was transported to Bluefield Regional Medical Center, where he reportedly declined treatment. The suspect, Richard Wayne Smith, 45, of Princeton, was arrested at the hospital and charged with driving under the influence, simple possession of marijuana found inside the wrecked vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon, after the officer located a loaded firearm inside the car. As Ballard transported Smith to the Southern Regional Jail for holding, the suspect allegedly threatened to “start shooting cops” when he was released.

• CHILD NEGLECT: Dep. D.A. Furches was patrolling the Bluewell area when he reported seeing a burgundy Lincoln Town Car traveling north on U.S. 52 with a cracked windshield. He initiated a traffic stop, and the vehicle pulled into a nearby pawn shop, at which time, the officer reported seeing a 2-year-old in the front seat without a seat belt or safety seat in place. The officer issued the driver, Elizabeth Bittle, 28, of Bluefield, a citation and advised her not to drive without securing the child. Less than an hour later, Furches reported seeing the vehicle on the Old Bramwell Road, again with the child unsecured. The officer stopped the vehicle and found that the woman had not made additional safety provisions. Bittle was charged with child neglect and arrested. The child was transported to a family member's residence.

• FLEEING IN A VEHICLE, RECKLESS DRIVING: Dep. D.A. Furches reported seeing a black Ford Escort pass another vehicle at a high rate of speed on Airport Road near the MCSD substation. The officer initiated a traffic stop, but he reported the suspect continued to travel at a high rate of speed. The vehicle eventually stopped at the Bulltail Hollow Road intersection with Airport Road, and Furches arrested Michael Williams, 36, of Bluefield.

• BURGLARY: Sgt. G.W. Woods responded to Wetzel Street, where a complainant reported her ex-boyfriend kicked open the door of her residence. The suspect reportedly did not strike or threaten her. He reportedly left the residence after kicking the door in. The officer advised the woman of the domestic violence petition process, but the woman said she did not wish to file one at that time.

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Sgt. G.W. Woods received a destruction of property complaint on Rock River Road. The complainant reported that someone broke the window in a Department of Highways vehicle that had been parked alongside the road. The officer investigated and examined the broken window. He was unable to identify the object that might have been used to break it.

• SHOPLIFTING, CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A MINOR: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Spencer's in Mercer Mall, where shoplifters were being detained. The officer spoke with the complainant and two suspects. The store employee reported the two women had concealed merchandise, but only one of them left the store with the items. The 17-year-old female was cited for shoplifting. Eugenia Sue Cline, 35, of Bluefield, was issued a summons for contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she knew what the 17-year-old was planning and allegedly did nothing to stop it.

• SHOPLIFTING: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Walmart in Princeton, where a complainant reported two females were caught concealing several items of clothing in an alleged attempt to steal the merchandise. Kourtney Noel Fulknier, 20, of Princeton, and Latrinda Deweese, 20, of Princeton, were cited for shoplifting and released.

• BURGLARY, PETIT LARCENY: Dep. J.D. Gills responded to Glenwood Park Road, where a complainant reported someone broke the glass from the back door of his residence. He reported there was a small handgun missing.

• BURGLARY, PETIT LARCENY: Cpl. J.J. Ruble responded to Breeze Hill Mobile Home Park, where a complainant reported her front door had been forced open and a TV, DVD player and baby bed were missing from the residence.

• BREAKING AND ENTERING AUTO, PETIT LARCENY: Cpl. J.J. Ruble responded to Shoney's, where a complainant reported the back window of her vehicle was broken and her purse was stolen. The officer reported several other vehicles were broken into in the same area at approximately the same time. The other incidents remained under investigation by the West Virginia State Police, where officers were reviewing surveillance tapes from surrounding businesses. Ruble reported he would continue the MCSD investigation in conjunction with the state police.

June 20

• NO INSURANCE, DRIVING SUSPENDED: Kellette Dawn Whittaker, 34, of Bluefield, turned herself in on Raleigh County warrants alleging she had driven on a suspended license with no insurance. Dep. G.C. Paitsel arrested the suspect.

• PETIT LARCENY: Dep. C.M. Williams. Responded to Hampton Inn, where a complainant reported someone stole the registration plate from his vehicle.

• DOMESTIC DISPUTE: Dep. J.R. Coburn responded to a domestic complainant on Pisgah Road, where a complainant reported her husband threatened her and threw a gas can at her. The woman declined to pursue charges against the husband, who allegedly appeared intoxicated. The suspect reported he had nowhere else to spend the night, so the complainant left the residence.

June 21

• PETIT LARCENY: A complainant at Little General Store on Athens Road told Dep. C.M. Williams that a white female driving a black Ford Focus pumped $28.06 in gasoline and left without paying.

• PETIT LARCENY: Dep. C. M. Williams responded to a breaking and entering report on Freight Station Lane. The complainant reported she parked her vehicle the night before and returned early Sunday to find the passenger door slightly ajar and her wallet, sunglasses and food assistance card missing.

June 22

• SHOPLIFTING: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Sears, where a complainant reported seeing a suspect place a set of wrenches down the front of his pants. The suspect allegedly couldn't walk properly with the tools concealed in his pants. The complainant reported seeing him remove the wrenches and flee the store with them still in his possession. As the loss-prevention employee pursued the suspect, he allegedly ran. The store employee simply awaited his return at the suspect's vehicle. Travis Lineberry, 24, of Princeton, was cited for shoplifting.

• PETIT LARCENY: Cpl. J.J. Ruble took a report from a man who reported his lawn mower was stolen from a Pine Hill Mobile Home Park residence.

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Dep. E.P. Parks was dispatched to Old Bramwell Road, where E-911 officials reported the male had been beaten severely with an object and was bleeding profusely from his head. When the officer arrived, he reported that the man had declined transportation to the hospital, but EMS personnel on the scene bandaged his injuries. Parks reported that both the man and woman present appeared to be intoxicated and offered somewhat conflicting reports. He concluded that the man had likely been lying in bed asleep, when the female attacked him, hitting him in the head with a 40-ounce beer bottle. Wanda Lee Cooper, 64, of Bluefield, was arrested on a domestic battery charge.

• SHOPLIFTING: Dep. J.R. Coburn responded to Walmart in Princeton, where an intoxicated male was reported. When the officer arrived, an employee advised Coburn that the suspect was inside neighboring Shoe Dept, where he staggered after allegedly concealing a tube of Blistex balm and leaving the store. Cato employees also advised the man had concealed a woman's dress blouse and attempted to leave the store. He allegedly dropped it when he was confronted. James Andrew Mills, 38, of Princeton, was cited for shoplifting.

• PETIT LARCENY: Dep. J.R. Coburn responded to a report of stolen property on Harry Avenue. The complainant reported an acquaintance had visited him and loaded his pressure washer into the back of the suspect's truck when he left. The complainant confronted the suspect and allegedly wrestled him to the ground to await the officer's arrival. Clayton Wayne Roland, 45, of Bluefield, was charged with petit larceny.

June 23

• STOLEN VEHICLE: Sgt. S.J. Cary and Dep. A.M. Ballard responded to Summerfield Road, where a complainant reported someone stole his silver 1994 Toyota truck. The vehicle also has a red, white and blue pinstripe and an eagle along each side, with a aluminum tool box on the back.

• VIOLATION OF A DVP: Capt. M.L. Gills arrested Clay Jesse Hall, 25, of Bluefield, on a warrant alleging violation of a domestic violence petition.