THURMOND, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A domestic altercation at the Stone Cliff Campground in New River Gorge National Park ended in an arrest earlier this month after a woman reported being assaulted by her boyfriend.
On a routine patrol in May 2025, Officer Logan Hartsog of the National Park Service responded to a report of a couple arguing at the popular camping site near Thurmond, West Virginia. Upon arrival around 10:22 a.m., Hartsog encountered a visibly injured woman who alleged she had been dragged out of a tent, beaten, and kicked by her partner during a dispute. Officers noted she had noticeable footprints on her pants and a severely swollen ankle, both of which were documented with photographs.
Shortly after the initial report, officers located the alleged male suspect in the upper parking lot of the campground. Identified as Julian Louis Riffle, he was taken into custody, read his Miranda rights, and questioned about the incident.
Riffle admitted to a physical altercation, stating that the argument escalated after he was pushed by the woman, prompting him to pull her out of the tent. He claimed the confrontation turned physical from there. Officers observed and photographed scratch marks on his face and wrist.
Riffle was arrested on a charge of domestic battery and transported to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department for processing. The incident remains under investigation and took place within the jurisdiction of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
