The driver gave consent to search the car, according to the press release. The DOJ said in the release that the man sustained bodily injuries as a result, and further alleges that Kuretza falsified his use of force report by claiming that he used the pepper spray before the man was handcuffed. While Deputy Ethan Mongold was en route to the storage unit, Clemons called back and stated "that he had stabbed a person.". Jury selection and trial for the case are scheduled for Oct. 18. View Monongalia County, West Virginia pistol permit and gun license information, including concealed carry applications, renewals, procedure, eligibility, requirements, waiting period, and fees. Police learned Tuesday that an unknown suspect had presented a bogus $100 bill at Lowes Foods on Feb. 19 [], License tags have been a hot commodity for thieves lately, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports. Monongalia County Sheriffs Office Deputy Lance Kuretza has been indicted in federal court for a felony civil rights violation after allegedly punching and pepper spraying a handcuffed suspect, as well as for attempting to cover-it-up by filing a false police report. He pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge at an arraignment hearing Feb. 27. Keep up the good work John. By WDTV News Staff. Editors frequently monitor and verify these resources on a routine basis. Heres more of what he said: Deputy Kuretza and six others responded to a disturbance at the Residence Inn Jan. 20, 2018. View Morgantown Police Department press releases, including dates of publication and full press releases. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. The incident was the subject of a civil rights lawsuit against Kuretza, the Monongalia County Commission, the Monongalia County Sheriffs Department, and six unnamed defendants back in 2020, which resulted in a settlement. Mon County deputy pleads not guilty to federal charges, Excellence in Education: Buckhannon Upshur High School zoo, WV Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Sports Show returning to Morgantown, Bill to ban child marriage passes West Virginia House, WVa House passes pay raises for governor, other officials, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Complaints. The original press release about the incident included a "Nicholas Walker, 22, of Sissonville." April 29, 2020 Thomas Joyce 1. This is 35.07%lower than the national average of 739.02per 100,000 people. Monongalia County Police Records are documents created by Police Departments that document the details of crimes, arrests, and the criminal activities of particular individuals in Monongalia County, West Virginia. signs campus carry bill into law, $1.5M awarded to improve sewer system in Ritchie, WV Senate wants to make fentanyl possession a felony, Franco Harris statue moved at PIT airport, Eli Lilly to cap insulin out-of-pocket costs at $35/month, Reporting Center employee charged with soliciting, Concerned North Elementary parent speaks at BOE meeting, Westover Police asks for help identifying people, Name, address released in Clarksburg drug bust, 4 WV counties launching electric school buses this. Lela Noelle [], A traffic crash investigation has led to a Mount Airy woman being jailed, according to city police department reports. All Rights Reserved. Morgantown Police Department 300 Spruce Street Morgantown, WV 26505 304-284-7522 Directions. That has now been confirmed by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, who gave a media interview explaining that there was indeed body cam footage of this incident, and that it was key to their decision to indict the defendant officer. Officials said the offense resulted in bodily injury and included the use of a dangerous weapon. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A Pennsylvania man has been arrested following a collision in Morgantown involving his vehicle and a motorcycle that left one person dead and two others in critical condition, according to the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office. The Grand Jury indictment against him is dated Wednesday. Kuretza battered and used pepper spray on the victim while handcuffed. Theres also a difference between the use of pepper spray in a jail or prison context, and use against non-incarcerated individuals, where its much more likely to be considered excessive force by the Courts. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Clicking on any of the Monongalia County or city facilities below will direct you to an information page with Inmate Search, Visitation, Mail, Phone, Email, Court cases, Most Wanted, Recent Arrests, Bail/Bond and more. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Detectives have made two arrests in connection with multiple break-ins in Monongalia County. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. The victim was identified as Matthew D. Moore, 46, of Morgantown. No additional comments have been made on the case. Martin was placed under arrest, according to deputies. The DOJ issued a press release. MPD Chief Eric Powell told The Dominion Post the vehicle was recovered four hours after the incident was reported. Monongalia County Sheriff's Detectives arrested Cleotis Cortez-Paul Epps, Jr., 42, of Harper Woods, Michigan, on Wednesday for First-Degree murder, felony conspiracy and conspiracy to sell. While performing a frisk of Martin, they removed individual bags of narcotics from his pockets, consisting of Cocaine, Heroin, MDMA pills and cash. Monongalia County Sheriff's Office Do Not Sell My Personal Information Check out what were asking for. http://www.monsheriff.com/concealed.html Search Morgantown City Parking Authority tickets database by license plate number. Martin was arraigned by Magistrate Summers with bond set at $20,000 cash or surety. Ive now received a response, and youre not going to like it. Do a free background check here using free online public records searches in Monongalia County. You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. Both Clemons and Ondieki rent storage units at the facility and both men were allegedly staying in their respective units for that evening. Monongalia County is included in the Morgantown, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the largest county in North-Central West Virginia. Arrest made in Morgantown murder, another suspect on the run, Excellence in Education: Buckhannon Upshur High School zoo, WV Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor Sports Show returning to Morgantown, Bill to ban child marriage passes West Virginia House, WVa House passes pay raises for governor, other officials, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Complaints. The Monongalia County Sheriff's. Monongalia County, West Virginia free public records searches at Black Book Online. Deputies say a warrant for First-Degree murder and felony conspiracy has been issued for Arlo Whiteoak Romano, 42, of Morgantown. According to the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department . But we now have confirmation that it exists. West Virginia Breast Health Initiative begins "Here's the Memo. 12 News called the Monongalia County Magistrate Court with the case number that was listed in the lawsuit. In fact, he said, The video really speaks for itself, theres a lot of it and thats why body cams are so important And if thats the case, why did the state-level county prosecutor not file charges? Its county seat is Kingwood. The Monongalia County Police Records Search (West Virginia) links below open in a new window and take you to third party websites that provide access to Monongalia County public records. The indictment specifically alleges that this offense included the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury to the victim. Subscribe Now or sign in to read the rest of this content. "Based on the facts and circumstances of the investigation, Mr. Clemons had the means and intent to kill the victim and acted to carry out the intent.". If convicted, Kuretza faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation and up to 20 years in prison for falsifying the report. Thats a rhetorical question, of course. Why was that last part alleged? For 2017, the arrest rate was 479.82per 100,000 residents. It occurred late [], A Mount Airy man has been arrested on burglary and weapons charges and jailed under a $75,000 secured bond, according to city police department reports. Clemons stated, "I'll kill you, " then tackled the victim into the corner of the unit and proceeded to stab him multiple times in the head and chest. He pleaded not guilty to the charge at an arraignment hearing in Monongalia County Circuit Court. Morgantown Police Department Press Releases Star City Police Department 370 Broadway Avenue Morgantown, WV 26505 . Callers can remain anonymous. MORGANTOWN, W.Va (WDTV) - Officers with the Monongalia County Sheriffs Office provided an update on a homicide that occurred last month. Deputy Sheriff Lance Kuretza, 38, pleaded not guilty during arraignment Thursday afternoon in the U.S. District Court in Clarksburg. Monongalia County Sheriffs Detectives arrested Cleotis Cortez-Paul Epps, Jr., 42, of Harper Woods, Michigan, on Wednesday for First-Degree murder, felony conspiracy and conspiracy to sell and/or distribute a controlled substance in Monongalia County. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. The incident occurred Wednesday, targeting Circle J Trucking on [], The Surry County Community Corrections office is seeking information on the whereabouts of the following individuals: Michael Adam Nelson, 23, a white male, wanted on probation violations who is on probation for felony breaking [], A Mount Airy resident was arrested Tuesday on an obscenity charge which had been filed earlier that day in Randolph County, according to city police department reports. CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) - A Monongalia County deputy who was charged with using excessive force and covering it up has pleaded not . Monongalia County Sheriff's Office Deputy Lance Kuretza has been indicted in federal court for a felony civil rights violation after allegedly punching and pepper spraying a handcuffed suspect, as well as for attempting to cover-it-up by filing a false police report. He gave some additional details that werent in the indictment: Once we saw the evidence and interviewed the witnesses we knew this case had to be charged.. He was released from custody after posting a $100, 000 bond. Residents are asked to call 911 immediately. The driver said he was dropping Wade off at the address on Snake Hill Road. Ruby Memorial hospital with five stab wounds to the head and chest area, a Monday press release said. That lawsuit alleged excessive force, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unlawful arrest, battery, negligent hiring and retention. Theres quite a bit of case law placing police officers on notice that its unreasonable excessive force to use tasers and pepper spray on handcuffed arrestees. 2023 County Office. Monongalia County Sheriff Now Accepting Applications for Deputy Sheriff Online tax payments- Click Here Sheriff Perry Palmer Our Mission Provide emergency actions and services, not readily available from other agencies that may save human life. Delegate Shawn Fluharty moved to amend in the concept behind 'Raylee's Law,' named for an 8-year-old girl who died of abuse and neglect in 2018 after she was withdrawn from school. So, that means the body cam footage must be good or rather, bad. Unfortunately, I cant show you the body cam footage. Im not anti-cop by no means but it makes my blood boil when I hear stuff like this happening to citizens who dont deserve treatment such as this, it just paints a bad picture of decent cops out there, no wonder there are so many people out there that hate the police. This is the official Facebook page of the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office located in Morgantown, WV. While the suspect was being taken out of the property Kuretza allegedly continued to use unnecessary force. Copyright 2022 WDTV. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Romano is believed to be on foot at this time and residents are urged to used caution if you come into contact or see Romano or anybody resembling him. Its county seat is at Morgantown. A "shots heard" call turned into a drug bust and multiple arrests on Snake Hill Road early Saturday morning. While deputies were waiting the search warrant to be signed, an Uber/Lyft driver pulled into the driveway. Wade was arrested and charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Kuretza then allegedly began to shake the man and hit his feet to wake him up. The street value of the heroin is $20,000 and the street value of the cocaine is $6,000. Monongalia County Pistol Permits & Gun Licenses The sheriffs department cant just suppress footage owned by the public. The report that was filed after this did not indicate the pepper spray had been deployed after handcuffs were used, in fact it said pepper spray was deployed before handcuffs were used which was not consistent with the video evidence we have.. Olivia Dollyhigh Billings, 36, [], DOBSON Law enforcement says a pair of local men were saved from a point-blank shooting when the firearm failed to discharge during what officers believe was an attempted auto theft. the driver said Wade got into the car with the bag. It turned out it was a sheriffs deputy and from there it really got out of control.. Published: Aug. 26, 2022 at 12:06 PM PDT. The county was founded in 1776. The suit alleges that Kuretza falsely arrested and otherwise unlawfully battered and employed force excessive to what was reasonably necessary on an arrestee in Monongalia County, thereby resulting in unlawfully inflicted injury and loss to the arrestee three times between 2008 and 2018. MONONGALIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 116 Walnut Street Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 291-7260 If you have an emergency, call 911 E-mail for non-emergency inquiries only Scott Hudson, of [], A domestic call Sunday night at Walmart resulted in theft-related charges against a Mount Airy couple, according to city police department reports. WV Deputy Arrested & Indicted by Feds County Refused My FOIA for Body Cam, Cops Violate Fourth Amendment Over JAYWALKING Kids | Doorbell Cam, Pregnant Teacher Stopped and Arrested | Officer Disciplined, Stopped For Flashing & Handcuffed For Laughing | Unreal WV Traffic Stop, BREAKING: WV State Police Implodes | Whistleblower Tells All, VIDEO: Cop's Bad Spray | LAWSUIT Filed | Interview With His Attorney Chris Wiest, Cops Assume Woman is Trespassing | Lawsuit Filed & Bodycam Released, BREAKING: Lawsuit Settled | Cop Fired and CHARGED | His Lawyer Explains, Cops at Your Door: What They Don't Want You to Know, Police Harass Innocent Citizens on Their Porch - Lawsuit Filed Today. Below are photos of Romano provided to 5 News by the Monongalia County Sheriffs Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating with the support of the Monongalia County Sheriffs Office, according to the DOJ release. Remember: The people shown on these pages have been arrested, . It also alleges that before he was hired at the Monongalia County Sheriffs Department, Kuretza was employed by another law enforcement agency in the area where, it alleges, he engaged in a pattern of making false arrests and otherwise employing unlawful excessive force against lawfully arrested detainees., It claims the man was in a bed in the Residence Inn hotel in Morgantown when Kuretza and the six unnamed defendants responded to a disturbance the man was not involved in in a room next to the mans guest room. Mongold's on-scene investigation concluded that Clemons initiated the encounter with the victim and escalated the situation to the point of stabbing the man while making death threats. To provide this information, we've built Keysso.net to conform to . Theres already binding legal precedent in the Fourth Circuit, which is where West Virginia is located, that pepper spraying suspects in response to minimal, non-violent resistance is a Fourth Amendment violation. MPD was able to obtain an additional arrest warrant for the robbery and Okoli was served with the second warrant at around11 p.m. while in custody at the Monongalia County Sheriff's. Specifically, he punched the victim in the face, striking him, spraying him with pepper spray at a time after the victim had been handcuffed. Monongalia County Sheriff's Office Website Monongalia County is included in the Morgantown, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the largest county in North-Central West Virginia. According to the Monongalia County Sheriffs Department, Jeremy Hunter, 24, and Tristen Harvey, 24, both local residents, have each been charged with three counts of breaking and entering and one count of conspiracy. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. http://www.morgantownwv.gov/465/Press-Releases. One arrested after stabbing at storage unit February 27, 2023 by Erin Cleavenger, The Dominion Post Views: 35 One man is in custody and another in the hospital after an alleged attempted murder. While deputies with the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department were on their way to the storage unit, Clemons called again and said that he had stabbed a person, the complaint said. Officers say Epps is scheduled to be arraigned today in Monongalia County Magistrate Court. Monongalia County Sheriff's Office 116 Walnut Street Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 291-7260 To obtain an incident or accident reports in Monongalia County, visit the county's Sheriff's Office at the address above. We love hearing from you! Whats happening here is that the county Monongalia County Sheriffs Office is attempting to prevent the public from seeing the video, even though the U.S. Attorney prosecuting the federal indictment just discussed it on the radio. The driver said he picked up the passenger in Pittsburgh at the Greyhound bus station. That case is currently active in Monongalia County Circuit Court. Ronald Burris Hayes, 32, of 317 Howard [], The Surry County Community Corrections office is seeking information on the whereabouts of the following individuals: Kevin Bradley Sumner, 36, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for driving while [], An attempted armed robbery that also involved an assault with a deadly weapon against a local woman was reported to the Mount Airy Police Department during the early morning hours Tuesday. He told deputies that he was trying to get an address in Star City. The crime was discovered on Feb. 12, involving an unknown [], The investigation of a single-vehicle crash on Parker Road near Cross Creek Drive has led to a driving while impaired charge against an underage person, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports. 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April 2
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