RAVENSWOOD, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A Ravenswood man with a history of domestic violence is facing new charges after police say he broke into an apartment and threatened a woman and her family during a frightening confrontation on Wednesday, July 30.
Officers Ankrom and Morehead with the Ravenswood Police Department responded to a possible burglary in progress after a man reported that someone had unlawfully entered the residence.
The man, standing outside when officers arrived, told police, “he’s inside.” Officer Morehead observed a man sitting on the couch and made contact with him. The man was identified as Derek Sommerville, who admitted he had entered the home without permission. Sommerville told officers he didn’t live there, knew he wasn’t allowed on the property due to a prior trespass order from the apartment complex manager, and had come to retrieve property he believed his ex-girlfriend had.
Inside the apartment, officers found the space in disarray, with a TV knocked to the floor. The victim, who is the father of the female resident, told officers he was alerted by his grandchildren that Sommerville and their mother were fighting, and the children were scared. The victim had recorded the children describing the confrontation, which included threats made by Sommerville. He said Sommerville refused to leave, locked the door, and made threats to harm him, the female, and anyone who tried to leave the apartment.
The female victim was initially hesitant to speak about the incident but later admitted that Sommerville had threatened her and screamed during the altercation. One of the children told officers, as captured on body camera, that Sommerville threatened to “snap her neck.” Officers also observed a visible injury on the female’s forearm resembling a handprint, which she at first blamed on her son before admitting otherwise.
Sommerville has a documented history of violence. He was convicted of malicious assault, burglary, and destruction of property in 2023, and domestic battery in 2020 — both involving her as the victim. Due to two prior domestic-related convictions, this arrest qualifies as a third offense domestic assault and battery, a felony under West Virginia law.
Sommerville was taken into custody at the scene.
