PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A man was arrested Tuesday morning after allegedly locking another man in a basement and swinging a metal baseball bat at two people while threatening to kill them.
Around 7:40 a.m. on May 13, 2025, Cpl. E.D. Leftwich of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an assault in progress at 806 Highland Avenue in Princeton.
When officers arrived, the first victim reported that the suspect, Jonathan K. Hess, had fled the scene. Officers quickly located Hess nearby and took him into custody.
One victim told deputies that Hess locked him in a small basement room and repeatedly threatened to kill him. A second victim said he heard the commotion and entered the basement, where Hess allegedly grabbed a metal baseball bat and began swinging it at both men, again making threats to kill.
The first victim stated that one swing from the bat missed his head by just two inches. Authorities recovered the bat near the rear door, where Hess reportedly fled.
Hess now faces charges for attempted malicious assault. In addition, deputies executed three outstanding warrants—two for failure to appear in Mercer County and one from the City of Princeton.
He was arraigned and transported to the Mercer County Magistrate’s Office.
