[WV] Sheriff Anthony accused of firing gun dangerously close over son's head

...Mason County Sheriff David Anthony was drinking alcohol and fired a small-caliber handgun over the head of his 13-year-old son...  "It was very close," State Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Baylous said. "It was a dangerous situation - enough so that it met the description of wanton endangerment"... Baylous said a domestic-violence petition and a search warrant also were served against Anthony... State Police Sgt. Edward Starcher says two sheriff deputies witnessed the incident and told investigators that Anthony had been drinking when he fired the gun...

Alcohol is a beast. I pray this family gets through this safely.

NEW INFO: MASON COUNTY SHERIFF ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH WANTON ENDANGERMENT
WSAZ & AP
Lauren Denney
11/11/2011
[Excerpts] The Mason County Sheriff has made bond and has been released from jail after being arrested by West Virginia State Police late Thursday night. Sheriff David Anthony II, 42, was picked up along Route 35 in Putnam County about 11:15 p.m. and charged with felony wanton endangerment. He was then taken to the Western Regional where he spent the night... State Police Sgt. Edward Starcher says the charges stem from the firing of a small-caliber handgun... Starcher says two sheriff deputies witnessed the incident and told investigators that Anthony had been drinking when he fired the gun over the head of a 13-year-old relative. A domestic violence petition was also served Thursday... West Virginia State Police also issued a search warrant at Anthony's residence... Sgt. Baylous says the Mason County Prosecutor asked the state police to look into several issues... Commissioners received complaints and as protocol, they asked for the prosecutor and WVSP to get involved. Handley said he could not go into specifics about the complaints... Anthony "is still the Sheriff"... [Full article here]

MASON COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID ANTHONY CHARGED WITH WANTON ENDANGERMENT
WOWKTV
By Gil McClanahan
Nov 11, 2011
[Excerpts] Last Tuesday Mason County Commissioners received a complaint of wanton endangerment allegations against Sheriff David Anthony... "We thought we'd better refer that onto the State Police, so through the county commission and our prosecuting attorney we wrote a letter requesting this charge be investigated by the State Police," said Mason County Commissioner Rick Handley... Investigators arrested Mason County Sheriff David Anthony early Friday morning, charging him with wanton endangerment. They say he fired a small caliber handgun over the head of a 13-year-old relative and had been drinking at the time. Two sheriff's deputies witnessed the incident. Anthony was arrested in Putnam County by State Police in Winfield... [Full article here]

MASON COUNTY SHERIFF CHARGED WITH WANTON ENDANGERMENT
The Charleston Gazette
November 11, 2011
[Excerpts] Mason County Sheriff David Anthony was charged Thursday with wanton endangerment for firing a weapon over his son's head last weekend, the West Virginia State Police said Friday. Anthony, 42, of Point Pleasant, was arrested at about 11:15 p.m. Thursday on U.S. 35 in Putnam County by State Police troopers from Putnam and Mason counties... The sheriff was drinking alcohol and fired a small-caliber handgun over the head of his 13-year-old son... Two sheriff's deputies witnessed the incident... State Police spokesman Sgt. Michael Baylous said a domestic-violence petition and a search warrant also were served against Anthony.... "It was very close," Baylous said. "It was a dangerous situation - enough so that it met the description of wanton endangerment." Anthony was arraigned and taken to the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville. He was released Friday on $20,000 bail. If convicted, he could face one to five years in prison... "He's had some problems along the line," [County Commissioner Bob] Baird said... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal child abuse west virginia state politics alcohol]