Police Archives - Morgan Messenger https://www.morganmessenger.com/category/police/ Founded in 1893 by S.S. Buzzerd Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:59:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://www.morganmessenger.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/fav-150x150.jpg Police Archives - Morgan Messenger https://www.morganmessenger.com/category/police/ 32 32 State charges Sheriff’s deputy after domestic incident https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/10/08/state-charges-sheriffs-deputy-after-domestic-incident/ Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:32:45 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=43426 A Morgan County Sheriff’s deputy was charged on Wednesday, October 7 with misdemeanor domestic battery following an on-duty incident at the Berkeley Springs residence of the officer’s female partner. Cpl. Christopher Roper, 51, of Inwood was charged by Sgt. Smith of the West Virginia State Police on Wednesday morning and[Read More...]

The post State charges Sheriff’s deputy after domestic incident appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> A Morgan County Sheriff’s deputy was charged on Wednesday, October 7 with misdemeanor domestic battery following an on-duty incident at the Berkeley Springs residence of the officer’s female partner.

Cpl. Christopher Roper, 51, of Inwood was charged by Sgt. Smith of the West Virginia State Police on Wednesday morning and is currently on administrative leave while the case moves through the courts.

Morgan County Sheriff Johnnie Walter issued a press release on Wednesday afternoon confirming…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Suspended magistrate charged with brandishing weapon https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/08/19/suspended-magistrate-charged-with-brandishing-weapon/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:02:04 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=42598 Suspended Morgan County Magistrate Vince Shambaugh was arrested and charged on Wednesday, August 19 with the misdemeanor charge of brandishing a deadly weapon. He was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond. The charges stem from a multi-agency and jurisdictional investigation into multiple allegations against Shambaugh, 57. Those allegations include[Read More...]

The post Suspended magistrate charged with brandishing weapon appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> Suspended Morgan County Magistrate Vince Shambaugh was arrested and charged on Wednesday, August 19 with the misdemeanor charge of brandishing a deadly weapon. He was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.

The charges stem from a multi-agency and jurisdictional investigation into multiple allegations against Shambaugh, 57. Those allegations include an alleged assault incident at a public store, threats of violence against his two courthouse employees, and reports that he pulled out a gun in…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Physical altercation leads to two arrests in Great Cacapon https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/08/11/physical-altercation-leads-to-two-arrests-in-great-cacapon/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 19:33:41 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=42406 Two people were arrested in Great Cacapon on Wednesday, August 5 following a physical altercation over use of an air conditioner. Police were dispatched to Alpine Drive at about 2:30 p.m. for a domestic disturbance. At the residence, a man identified as William D. Twigg Jr., 53, held his hands[Read More...]

The post Physical altercation leads to two arrests in Great Cacapon appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> Two people were arrested in Great Cacapon on Wednesday, August 5 following a physical altercation over use of an air conditioner.

Police were dispatched to Alpine Drive at about 2:30 p.m. for a domestic disturbance.

At the residence, a man identified as William D. Twigg Jr., 53, held his hands out and asked the two responding deputies to take him, according to a criminal complaint filed in Morgan County Magistrate Court by Deputy B.K. Knotts…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Police charge Hancock man in Wednesday house fire https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/08/04/police-charge-hancock-man-in-wednesday-house-fire/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:16:50 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=42325 A Hancock man has been jailed on arson charges after allegedly threatening to burn down a Seavolt Road home before that residence caught fire on July 29. According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal, Joseph Brian Potter, 40, has been arrested on charges of first-degree arson, arson threat, first-degree malicious[Read More...]

The post Police charge Hancock man in Wednesday house fire appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> A Hancock man has been jailed on arson charges after allegedly threatening to burn down a Seavolt Road home before that residence caught fire on July 29.

According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal, Joseph Brian Potter, 40, has been arrested on charges of first-degree arson, arson threat, first-degree malicious burning and malicious destruction of property over $1,000.

Hancock Volunteer Fire Company and nearby fire companies responded on July 29 to a house fire in…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Hancock man killed in Fulton County hit and run https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/30/hancock-man-killed-in-fulton-county-hit-and-run/ Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:49:27 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41824 by Geoff Fox A Hancock man was struck and killed along Tollgate Ridge Road in Southern Fulton County, Pa. just north of Hancock in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 26. According to Pennsylvania State Police, Jacob Allen Long, 34, of Hancock, was on the roadway in the 900[Read More...]

The post Hancock man killed in Fulton County hit and run appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> by Geoff Fox

A Hancock man was struck and killed along Tollgate Ridge Road in Southern Fulton County, Pa. just north of Hancock in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 26.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Jacob Allen Long, 34, of Hancock, was on the roadway in the 900 section of Tollgate Ridge Road, south of Younker’s Meat Market, just before 3 a.m. Thursday morning.

A Dodge van was traveling south on Tollgate Ridge Road when it struck Long, police said.

After striking Long, the van continued south on Tollgate Ridge Road as the driver lost control and impacted a fence.

Police said the driver fled the scene prior to their arrival.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police McConnellsburg at 717-485-3131.

 

The post Hancock man killed in Fulton County hit and run appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> Officers charge Berkeley Springs couple Monday with drug dealing https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/25/officers-charge-berkeley-springs-couple-monday-with-drug-dealing/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 19:47:01 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41731 Search of vehicle reveals large quantity of pills, substances A Berkeley Springs couple has been jailed on charges of drug dealing after large quantities of drugs were found in their vehicle following a traffic stop in town. Gregory Godman, 71, and Jodi Godman, 42, were each charged with multiple drug-related[Read More...]

The post Officers charge Berkeley Springs couple Monday with drug dealing appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> Search of vehicle reveals large quantity of pills, substances

A Berkeley Springs couple has been jailed on charges of drug dealing after large quantities of drugs were found in their vehicle following a traffic stop in town.

Gregory Godman, 71, and Jodi Godman, 42, were each charged with multiple drug-related crimes.

According to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department and a criminal complaint filed in Morgan County Magistrate Court, Deputy B.K. Knotts was conducting traffic patrol…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Commission approves budget for K-9 in Sheriff’s Department https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/23/commission-approves-budget-for-k-9-in-sheriffs-department/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:09:04 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41678 by Kate Shunney The Morgan County Sheriff’s Department will once again have a K-9 officer on its force, following a vote by the County Commission to approve up to $20,000 for start-up costs to add a trained dog to the department. Funds for the K-9 will come from the county’s[Read More...]

The post Commission approves budget for K-9 in Sheriff’s Department appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> by Kate Shunney

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Department will once again have a K-9 officer on its force, following a vote by the County Commission to approve up to $20,000 for start-up costs to add a trained dog to the department. Funds for the K-9 will come from the county’s fund of opioid lawsuit settlement money.

Sheriff Johnnie Walter outlined the costs and steps involved in adding the K-9 to his department, answering county officials’…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Drugged driver of minors jailed https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/23/drugged-driver-of-minors-jailed/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:03:35 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41658 A Berkeley Springs woman has pled no contest to gross child neglect with risk of serious injury, and DUI with child. Kathleen E. Virts, 31, was the driver in a single-vehicle collision that occurred on Green Oak Road at about 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025, according to a[Read More...]

The post Drugged driver of minors jailed appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> A Berkeley Springs woman has pled no contest to gross child neglect with risk of serious injury, and DUI with child.

Kathleen E. Virts, 31, was the driver in a single-vehicle collision that occurred on Green Oak Road at about 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025, according to a criminal complaint filed in Morgan County Magistrate Court by West Virginia State Police Trooper G.C. Warnick.

At the scene, Trooper Warnick and Trooper Meyers observed…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Paw Paw pair jailed on burglary charges https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/16/paw-paw-pair-jailed-on-burglary-charges/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:04:27 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41541 A 911 caller from Great Cacapon alerted police to a burglary that took place at a residence on Rocky Pine Lane on Monday, May 4 at about 5:30 p.m. The caller said they check on their cousin’s home there about once a month. This time, they saw signs of forced[Read More...]

The post Paw Paw pair jailed on burglary charges appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> A 911 caller from Great Cacapon alerted police to a burglary that took place at a residence on Rocky Pine Lane on Monday, May 4 at about 5:30 p.m.

The caller said they check on their cousin’s home there about once a month. This time, they saw signs of forced entry through a ground level front window.

They also reported seeing a woman in a pink or purple shirt and dark pants jump from a…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]> Evicted tenant jailed on bond violation https://www.morganmessenger.com/2026/06/02/evicted-tenant-jailed-on-bond-violation/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 18:06:30 +0000 https://www.morganmessenger.com/?p=41315 West Virginia State Police have charged a Berkeley Springs man with violating two protective orders, a bond violation, as well as charges of battery and destruction of property. Anthony A. Britti, 48, was initially arrested by warrant on Saturday, May 23 following a verbal disturbance at a residence on Burnt[Read More...]

The post Evicted tenant jailed on bond violation appeared first on Morgan Messenger.

]]> West Virginia State Police have charged a Berkeley Springs man with violating two protective orders, a bond violation, as well as charges of battery and destruction of property.

Anthony A. Britti, 48, was initially arrested by warrant on Saturday, May 23 following a verbal disturbance at a residence on Burnt Mill Road at about 7:20 that morning.

A 911 caller reported Britti was outside beating on cars with a drainpipe and trying get inside, then…

Continue reading — subscribe to unlock the full article.

]]>