WYOMING COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Wyoming County man was taken into custody Tuesday evening after deputies say he became belligerent and struck an officer during a domestic disturbance investigation in Saulsville.
According to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department, Sgt. Hedinger responded to a 911 call around 6:44 p.m. reporting that Stephen Shumate had been drinking and had become physically aggressive. The caller also warned dispatchers that weapons were inside the home and that Shumate might have a gun in his pocket.
When Sgt. Hedinger arrived, he was directed to a bedroom where Shumate was found lying in bed. Shumate told the deputy a firearm was inside a dresser drawer. When the deputy instructed him to stand, Shumate allegedly began yelling and acting belligerent.
As the deputy attempted to detain him, Shumate struck Sgt. Hedinger in the face, according to the report. A brief struggle followed before Shumate fell to the floor, where he continued to resist by grabbing at the deputy’s handcuffs. He was eventually restrained.
Additional officers, including Cpl. T. Cook of the Sheriff’s Department and Senior Trooper Browning with the West Virginia State Police, arrived on scene to assist. Shumate was placed in a patrol vehicle and transported to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department for processing.
A witness told deputies that Shumate had returned home after being gone for an extended period, began cursing during dinner, and later followed her into a bedroom, yelling and grabbing her by the ankles before she locked the door and called 911.
Shumate was processed without further incident.
