MERCER COUNTY SHERIFF



Aug. 8

• BATTERY, ASSAULT: Dep. J.R. Coburn responded to Princeton Village apartments, where a complainant advised that he had been battered as a result of an altercation between his 7-year-old daughter and another child in the community. The initial complainant told the officer a neighborhood child was allegedly throwing things at his daughter and refused to stop after the complainant advised him to quit. As the complainant turned to walk away, he reported that one of the children threw a notebook and hit him in the back of the head. The complainant alleged that he then turned to charge toward the children but that he did not intend to harm either of them. Coburn then talked with a number of people gathered nearby. One woman — the mother of the 6- and 10-year-old boys involved said witnesses told her the complainant struck her children. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the complainant push the two boys to the ground and chase them up a hill. Two males nearby reported they subdued him to protect the children. Alan Lee Foster, 51, of Princeton, was arrested on two counts each of battery and assault. The officer noted that his shirt was ripped and he appeared to have been injured. Coburn concluded the injuries were due to the fact that the two witnesses said they had to hold Foster down to prevent him from chasing the children further.



Aug. 12

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to Winfrey's Mobile Home Park, where a complainant reported a neighborhood child had thrown a rock through a window, breaking the pane of glass. The complainant identified the suspect — a 12-year-old male, and a neighbor advised that the child had denied throwing a rock immediately after the incident, even though she never mentioned a rock or the window. The officer talked with the suspect, who again instantly denied throwing the rock, allegedly before the officer mentioned the incident. Later, the child reportedly admitted throwing the rock and breaking the window, and his mother agreed to pay for the damage. The complainant then advised that she did not wish to pursue criminal charges, provided the window was repaired.

• WARRANT: Dep. J.D. Gills arrested Joseph Laenen, 30, of Montcalm, on a warrant alleging parole violation.

Aug. 13

• GRAND LARCENY: Sgt. G.W. Woods received a report from a complainant who advised a Peterbilt radiator, an air cooler, four aluminum wheels and more were taken from a storage area at Maynard Truck Repair on Hilltop Drive near Princeton. The complainant reported that employees at Recycle West Virginia recalled receiving the radiator and would release information to law enforcement officials.

• CAPIAS: Dep. J.D. Ellison arrested Jimmy Dale Rose, 38, of Princeton, on warrants issued through Magistrate Charles Poe's court.

• BREAKING AND ENTERING: Sgt. G.W. Woods responded to Clover Dew Dairy Road, where a complainant reported someone entered a relative's home and stole a silver ring. The officer examined the scene and located some tire tracks that could be suspicious, but could not determine for sure whether they were left behind by a suspect. He did discover a footprint on the door, which had been kicked open.

• DOMESTIC BATTERY, DOMESTIC ASSAULT, BRANDISHING: Dep. J.D. Ellison arrested Wayne Shrewsbury Jr., 38, of Lashmeet, on warrants.

• BATTERY, ASSAULT, BRANDISHING: Dep. J.D. Ellison arrested Eugene M. Holt, 68, of Lashmeet, on warrants for the listed charges.

• PETIT LARCENY: Dep. J.D. Gills received a report from an Acorn Lane resident who reported someone stole a generator from his property.

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, BATTERY: Dep. E.P. Parks responded to White Oak Mobile Home Park, where children were reportedly throwing rocks at a residence. The woman advised she was cleaning house when she heard something striking the rear area of her home. When she looked outside, she saw rocks being thrown at her house from a nearby knoll that borders her residence and the Princeton Village development. The officer searched the area for children, but he did not locate any. He advised the complainant to contact 911 again if the rock-throwing resumed.

• PETIT LARCENY: A complainant advised Dep. J.D. Coburn that someone removed a fishing rod and reel from his truck, while it was parked along the road near a fishing hole in the Lake Bottom area. A representative of a Princeton pawn shop allegedly confirmed he had just received a rod and reel but would need law enforcement involved to release further information.

Aug. 14

• DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: Sgt. G.W. Woods received a complaint from an Oaks Mobile Home resident who returned home from a trip Aug. 9 and discovered someone had broken eggs all over his vehicles. On Aug. 10, the complainant reported that two girls approached him and said they were sorry for throwing the eggs. When the complainant's wife asked why they threw the eggs, one of the girls allegedly replied that it was better to hit their cars than their house. The report was forwarded to juvenile probation officials.

• BURGLARY: Sgt. S.J. Cary received a report from a resident of Fain's Mobile Home Park in Athens. She stated she returned home to find that someone had used a pry tool to enter her residence, remove her jar of change and look through her underwear drawer. She advised officers that the same type of incident has happened several times in recent months. The suspect allegedly never takes anything of real value, but does remove her jar of change each time and leaves signs behind that he/she has looked through her lingerie.

• DOMESTIC ASSAULT, DOMESTIC BATTERY: Sgt. G.W. Woods and Dep. J.D. Ellison responded to a domestic disturbance in Gardner Estates. Officers found a female sitting on the steps of the residence. She alleged that she became angry when she discovered someone had taken cash from her purse. She confronted her mother, and the two allegedly became involved in a physical altercation. Melissa King, 43, of Bluefield, and Phyllis Rambo, 74, of Princeton, were both arrested on charges of domestic assault and domestic battery.

• SHOPLIFTING: Sgt. S.J. Cary responded to J.C. Penney at Mercer Mall, where complainants alleged that a man attempted to conceal three pair of women's panties and leave the store without paying for them. Elmer James Jackson, 38, of Vansant, Va., was cited for shoplifting and escorted off the property.

• DUI, RECKLESS DRIVING, DRIVING SUSPENDED: Dep. J.D. Gills received a report of a possible drunk driver operating a red Chevy Cavalier on U.S. 460, heading west. The suspect driver allegedly crossed the median toward the eastbound lanes and then returned to travel west. Gills observed a vehicle matching the suspect description near the Locust Street intersection with U.S. 460. He initiated a traffic stop and reported that there was a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the car. The driver allegedly exhibited slurred speech and had no license or registration for the vehicle. He also allegedly provided the officer with the wrong identification, but later advised that his name was Ricky Lee Gibson, 46, of Narrows, Va. Gibson was arrested and later tested 0.202 percent blood-alcohol content.

• GRAND LARCENY: A Bluewell resident reported someone stole a motorcycle from an outbuilding near his residence on Route 20. Sgt. G.W. Woods filed the report.

Aug. 15

• DISORDERLY CONDUCT, OBSTRUCTING: Dep. A.M. Ballard and Dep. G.C. Paitsel responded to Route 5, where a domestic disturbance was reported. The female present advised the two subjects were verbally arguing and that there was no physical altercation. Officers asked the parties if either of them had another place they could spend the night to cool off. The woman advised that she did not, but that the male could stay in McDowell County for the night. The man allegedly became very belligerent on three different occasions, as officers asked him to leave the residence. Hubert Wayne Bachelor, 45, of Bluefield, was arrested.

Aug. 16

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Sgt. S.J. Cary arrested Roger Harrison, 64, of Lerona, on a domestic battery warrant.

• CAPIAS: Dep. J.D. Ellison arrested Dennis Claude Stanley, 63, of Bluefield, on a warrant issued in magistrate court.

Aug. 17

• DOMESTIC BATTERY: Dep. W.E. Rose responded to Freedom Road in Montcalm, where a complainant reported that her boyfriend had struck her in the head, jerked a child from the couch and struck her with a slap jack. The man also allegedly threatened to kill the girlfriend. Ricky Robertson, 42, of Rock, was arrested on charges of domestic battery.

Aug. 18

• BREAKING AND ENTERING, GRAND LARCENY: Dep. A.M. Ballard responded to Nemours Grocery, where a complainant reported the front door of the business had been busted. The officer observed that nearly all of the glass was broken from the entrance. Approximately 40 cartons of cigarettes were reported stolen from the scene.