FAIRMONT — Three of the four men indicted for the near-fatal assault of a Hells Angels Motorcycle Club member at BFS Foods last year in White Hall pleaded not guilty at their formal arraignments Wednesday in Marion County Circuit Court.
Those entering the not guilty pleas before Marion County Judge David R. Janes were:
— Bruce Evan Davis, 54, 135 Pine Ln., Fairmont, who was indicted for conspiracy to commit a felony; attempted murder in the first degree; malicious assault
— Jason Edward Harris, 49, with a last-known address of 509 Old Monongah Rd., Fairmont, who was indicted for conspiracy to commit a felony; attempted murder in the first degree; malicious assault
— Daniel Lester Ryan, 25, 469 Crawford Ave., Star City, who was indicted for conspiracy to commit a felony; attempted murder in the first degree; malicious assault
Janes said their trials were scheduled for 9 a.m. April 15.
Harris’ attorney, Holly Turkett, said she will file a motion for a reduction of his bond, which is at $500,000. Court records show he is in North Central Regional Jail.
Harris questioned the charges against him, but Judge Janes told him that guilt or innocence would be determined at a later date.
A fourth person, James Cody Biggie, 38, with a last-known address of 202 Skyline Dr., Rivesville, who was indicted for conspiracy to commit a felony, attempted murder in the first degree, and malicious assault will have his formal arraignment at 3:40 p.m. Feb. 18, according to Judge Jane’s office.
Police described the melee as a fight between the Hells Angels and Pagan’s motorcycle clubs. At 1:50 p.m. on Aug. 3., 2019 a Monongalia Emergency Centralized Communication Agency 911 report stated there was “a fight/stabbing in Fairmont between Hells Angels club and Pagan’s Motorcycle Club, and that one of the Hells Angels members was being transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital.”
According to a criminal complaint, the men took part in a pre-planned physical confrontation with several other men in the BFS Foods parking lot in White Hall. The complaint states that the victim, Kenneth Murphy of Hilton, New York, was struck with a baseball bat and cut and stabbed with a knife during the physical confrontation. Police unveiled in Ryan’s criminal complaint that the Aug. 3 fight included a second victim.
“Anthony Chafel, also a victim was struck by a silver or grey in color Jeep which was driven by Biggie, knocking him down causing injury to his arms and legs which were treated at the scene,” the complaint states.
In another case, Arlie Hetrick III, 25, of 601 Walnut St., Fairmont, who was indicted for Concealment or Removal of a Minor Child From Custodian or Person Entitled to Visitation, pleaded not guilty Wednesday at his formal arraignment before Judge Janes.
In his case, which drew much attention, police say Hetrick abducted his daughter, Gracelynn June Scritchfield. He was extradited from Texas to Marion County and charged.
The 4-year-old Marion County girl was returned safely to Fairmont on Aug. 3. According to the complaint, Hetrick arrived at his ex-girlfriend’s residence July 6 on the Husky Highway to pick up his daughter for his scheduled visitation weekend. He was scheduled to return the girl by 6 p.m. on July 7, the complaint states.
On July 17, Summer Scritchfield, the girl’s biological mother and custodial parent, contacted the West Virginia State Police and said that Hetrick hadn’t returned the child nor made any contact with her about his whereabouts or welfare of the child, according to the court papers. State police issued an Amber Alert by July 22 and a search was launched for the child and her safe return to Marion County. Then, on Aug. 1, Alex P. Neville Sr., chief deputy U.S. Marshal for Northern West Virginia announced that the girl was recaptured safely in Pecos, Texas at approximately 2:30 p.m.
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Source: West Virginian Times