A Berkeley County man was killed on Sunday, August 17 along Winchester Grade Road in southern Morgan County when his motorcycle left the roadway shortly after 9:30 a.m. According to Morgan County Sheriff Johnnie Walter, Christopher Vincent Leone, 39, of Hedgesville was traveling toward Berkeley Springs on Winchester Grade Road[Read More…]
Police
Truck carrying explosives gets stuck, closing Cacapon Road for hours
A tractor-trailer’s encounter with a guardrail along the narrow portion of Cacapon Road at the top of Cacapon Mountain stopped traffic to and from Great Cacapon on Monday for several hours. A tractor-trailer carrying explosive material became stuck on a guardrail in the 3300 block of Cacapon Road west of[Read More…]
Former resident reported missing in New Mexico found murdered
A Winchester, Va. man who recently had lived in Morgan County and was reported missing earlier this month in New Mexico has been found dead by officers in Taos County, N.M. Morgan County friends of Matthew McLaughlin had locally shared posters of the 25 year old Army veteran in hopes[Read More…]
Virginia deputy found former county teacher with teen in parking lot
by Kate Shunney A former Morgan County teacher who was arrested in Virginia in July was charged by a Louisa County Sheriff’s deputy after the officer came upon him and a teen in a parking lot in Mineral, Va. in the early morning hours of July 12. Benjamin “Sam” Hopkins,[Read More…]
Local man sentenced to federal prison for coercion of minor
A Berkeley Springs man — Joel Galen Patton, 40, — has been sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Patton was talking to who he believed to be a 14-year-old female online, requesting nude photos of the teen, as well as sending[Read More…]
Unknown bag leads to road shutdown in Paw Paw Saturday
by Kate Shunney A backpack left behind outside the Paw Paw American Legion kicked off an investigation by police on Saturday, July 26 that shut down a main roadway into town for several hours. Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputy Bradley Knotts responded to reports that a backpack had been left next[Read More…]
Court hands down enhanced sentence for man convicted of prior violent crimes, resolves other local criminal cases
During recent court proceedings in Morgan County Circuit Court, several criminal cases were resolved through plea changes, trials and status updates. In June, Skylor F. Banks, 37, of Jacksonville, Fla. was sentenced to six months in jail for domestic assault, one year in prison for obstruction and one year for[Read More…]
Suspect in officer shooting, domestic is charged with attempted murder
by Kate Shunney A Morgan County Sheriff’s deputy was shot on Saturday morning while responding to a break-in at a home in the Spohrs Crossroads area east of Berkeley Springs. The deputy, Bradley Meacham, was treated and released from the hospital by lunchtime on Saturday, said Morgan County Sheriff Johnnie[Read More…]
Suspect shoots officer, is wounded during domestic call
A Morgan County Sheriff’s deputy was shot on Saturday morning while responding to a break-in in the Spohrs Crossroads area east of Berkeley Springs. The deputy, Bradley Meacham, was treated and released from the hospital by noon, said Morgan County Sheriff Johnnie Walter. Deputy Meacham, who is the most[Read More…]
Pennsylvania joins Maryland and West Virginia in banning handheld devices while driving
A new law went into effect last month for Pennsylvania drivers prohibiting the use of handheld cellphones while driving. Effective June 5, the state of Pennsylvania began the “Paul Miller’s Law” that prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving, but also while stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red[Read More…]
