GREENBRIER COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Greenbrier County man is behind bars after deputies say he threatened his mother, resisted arrest, and armed himself with two weapons during a confrontation with law enforcement.
On September 14, around 10:49 a.m., deputies with the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance. Upon investigation, deputies learned that 35-year-old Joseph William O’Brien had allegedly threatened to kill his mother earlier that morning.
When deputies attempted to arrest O’Brien at the home, he refused to open the door and told them to “come on in.” After forcing entry, officers say O’Brien confronted them in a fighting stance, holding a sickle in one hand and a machete in the other. Deputies drew their weapons and gave repeated commands for him to drop the blades. O’Brien eventually complied but resisted further attempts to take him into custody, leading to a physical struggle before he was handcuffed.
Deputies recovered the weapons and transported O’Brien to the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office, then to a local hospital for medical clearance. During his evaluation, O’Brien admitted to recent drug use. He was later cleared, processed, and taken to Southern Regional Jail.
O’Brien faces multiple charges, including assault on a law enforcement officer, obstructing an officer, domestic assault, brandishing a deadly weapon, and an active warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
