WYOMING COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Wyoming County man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he fired a handgun in the roadway during an early morning dispute near New Richmond.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Wyoming County Magistrate Court, Decoda Tracy Belcher, 25, of New Richmond, is charged with two counts of wanton endangerment, obstructing an officer and shooting within 500 feet of a dwelling.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:06 a.m. on June 28, when Cpl. M.T. Perry with the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence on New Richmond Bottom Road after Wyoming County 911 received a report that three men were walking in the roadway, a gun had been fired and people were screaming.
Deputies arrived and spoke with individuals at the scene, who reported Belcher had been involved in an argument during which he fired a pistol. Investigators located an empty shell casing in the middle of the roadway about 100 feet from a neighboring residence.
As deputies approached Belcher’s residence, they allegedly observed him standing in the front yard with a handgun tucked into the waistband of his shorts. According to the complaint, Belcher ignored several commands to drop the weapon, went back inside the home, then came back outside carrying the firearm and a liquor bottle before eventually complying with deputies’ commands and being taken into custody.
Witnesses told investigators the dispute began after an argument while several people were drinking at the residence. According to the complaint, Belcher allegedly retrieved a handgun from his vehicle, chased another man down the roadway, threatened to kill him and fired a shot into the air.
Deputies recovered a black and gray Ruger RXM 9mm pistol. Investigators said they found one live round in the chamber and three live rounds in the magazine. The shell casing recovered from the roadway was consistent with the ammunition loaded in the firearm.
After being transported to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Department, Belcher consented to a breath test, which allegedly showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.248. The complaint also states Belcher admitted to consuming alcohol on a daily basis.
Court records indicate Belcher’s bond was set at $15,000 on June 28 and was posted the following day.
As with all criminal complaints, the allegations have not been proven in court, and Belcher is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
