MOUNT HOPE, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A heated domestic incident erupted into violence Sunday evening in the Plateau area of Fayette County, ending with a father accused of putting his adult son in a chokehold and punching him during a family fight.
Deputy M.E. Whittington of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department responded around 7:12 p.m. to a home in Mount Hope after a 911 call reported a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, Deputy Whittington encountered three individuals outside the residence and secured the scene.
According to the report, the wife told deputies the altercation began when her husband, Brian A. Dabler, attempted to leave with a dirtbike during an argument. When she refused to let him take it—claiming it belonged to her and was not paid off—their son stepped in, escalating the situation.
The wife alleged that Mr. Dabler headbutted their son with a helmet, which was then thrown, sparking a physical altercation. She claimed her husband put their son in a chokehold, causing his face to turn purple and blue. She intervened, reportedly hitting her husband to stop the choking. During the scuffle, she said her husband also punched their son, who began bleeding and ran to a neighbor’s home for help.
Mr. Dabler acknowledged to deputies that he had been frustrated and confirmed the argument over the dirtbike. He admitted to using his helmet during the exchange and said he restrained his son when tensions boiled over. He also stated that his wife and daughter became involved in the struggle, and that he may have struck his son during the altercation.
Deputies D.L. Shreve and Cpl. T.K. Olson took a statement from their son, who said he was “slammed, choked, and punched,” and described losing consciousness and vision during the attack. EMS was later dispatched to evaluate his injuries.
