Kanawha County, WV (WOAY) – Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in Kanawha County on the morning of Monday, April 13, 2026.
According to a media release from the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Bureau of Investigations is assisting the Nitro Police Department with a murder investigation that took place in the parking lot at the Nitro Marketplace Walmart.
The victim is being identified as an adult female who sustained a fatal gunshot wound. Investigators are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
According to deputies, this remains an active and ongoing investigation. They are questioning a person of interest in regards to the case.
Deputies are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office at (304)357-0169 or submit tips online to www.kanawhasheriff.us
Fayette County, WV (WOAY) – A Fayette County man has been sentenced to prison for multiple charges.
According to a media release from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Fayette County, 61-year-old George E. “Speedy” Legg of Gallagher, WV, appeared in court for sentencing on Tuesday, March 21, 2026.
Legg was sentenced to one (1) to five (5) years in prison for the felony crime of fleeing in a vehicle with reckless indifference to the safety of others and to a consecutive term of one (1) to three (3) years in prison for the felony crime of third offense driving on a license revoked for DUI. Legg was also fined a total of $4,000.00.
Legg entered a guilty plea to both crimes on August 25, 2025. Legg must serve a minimum of two (2) years before becoming eligible for parole.
The charges stem from Legg’s arrest on May 25, 2024, when a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Legg driving a vehicle in the Armstrong Creek area of Fayette County.
Based on prior interactions with Legg, the deputy believed Legg did not have a valid driver’s license and the deputy attempted a traffic stop.
Instead of stopping, Legg fled in the vehicle reaching speeds exceeding 90 mph on Armstrong Creek Road, which has a posted speed limit of 25 mph. Legg also made contact with the deputy’s cruiser after he turned the vehicle around during the pursuit. The pursuit ended when Legg reached Craig Hollow Road, he unsuccessfully attempted to turn around at a locked gate and was apprehended.
George E. “Speedy” Legg has multiple prior convictions including driving on a suspended or revoked driver’s license and for fleeing from police in multiple counties.
In 2016, Legg was convicted of delivery of methamphetamine and driving on a license revoked for DUI, third offense in Fayette County.
Charleston, WV (WOAY) – Gov. Patrick Morrisey has signed a 5% income tax cut into law, with the reduction set to take effect in June.
Morrisey had pushed for a 10% cut, and his proposed budget reflected that figure. He indicated a desire to work with the legislature to achieve the remaining 5% reduction.
Lawmakers ultimately settled on the smaller cut following debate over whether the state could absorb a 10% reduction.
WELCH, WV (WOAY) – The McDowell County school system says it is working with law enforcement as police continue an investigation into a Mount View teacher accused of sexually abusing a then seventeen-year-old student in a classroom.
Tyree Donell Baker was arrested today following an investigation that began on March 23. It culminated in his arrest on March 26.
Newswatch briefly spoke with Baker as he was walked into the McDowell Sheriff’s Office for processing. He told us that he was innocent.
“We arrested him at his home in Kimball, West Virginia,” McDowell County Chief Deputy Dalton T. Martin told Newswatch in an interview. “[The alleged crimes] occurred between October 1st, 2025 and December 31st, 2026, at Mount View High School.”
In his criminal complaint, Martin said that the alleged abuse happened on at least ten occasions.
He said he received a complaint from the McDowell County Superintendent Ingrida Barker and a school counselor. According to the complaint, the counselor said the alleged victim told her son that Baker had sexual contact with the victim.
Deputies also spoke with a physical education teacher, who said that Baker had checked the alleged victim out of gym class several times and brought him back to Baker’s classroom.
Deputies recovered security video from October 7 that they said showed Baker pulling the alleged victim from gym class.
Deputies interviewed the alleged victim, who told them that Baker had sexually abused him on numerous occasions.
The victim also said that Baker allegedly threatened to harm the alleged victim, the alleged victim’s family, and himself if the alleged victim “didn’t perform sexual acts, if [the victim] got new friends or a girlfriend.”
Baker now faces multiple charges.
“He’s currently charged with sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust, ten counts. He’s also charged with a prohibited sexual acts against a student by a school employee, ten counts, and solicitation of a minor by other means, ten counts,” Martin said.
In a written statement, Superintendent Ingrida Barker told Newswatch that she couldn’t say much about the situation due to the sensitive nature and the ongoing investigation. However, she said that the school system is working with police closely.
“McDowell County schools is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff. At this time, due to the sensitive nature of the situation and to respect legal and personnel processes, we are not able to provide additional details or comment further as we are working closely with local law enforcement,” she said. “Our priority remains maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all students and employees. We appreciate the community’s understanding, patience, and continued support as we navigate this matter together.”
The criminal complaint states that other evidence may be forthcoming. We will update you as we learn more.
Caleb Pearl and Micah Leith contributed to reporting in this story.
McDowell County, WV (WOAY) – A McDowell County Schools employee has been arrested on multiple sex related charges.
According to court documents, the sexual misconduct allegations under investigation date back to October 2025 and continued through December 2025, involving a teacher and a student at Mount View High School in Welch.
The McDowell County Sheriff’s Department began its investigation on Monday, March 23, 2026, after it was notified by McDowell County Schools officials.
27-year-old Tyree Donell Baker of Kimball, WV, has been charged with 10 counts of Sexual Abuse by a person in a position of trust, 10 counts of Prohibiting sexual contact against students by school employees, and 10 counts of Solicitation of a minor by other means.
According to the criminal complaint, Baker allegedly made threats to harm the student and his family if he disclosed any details about the abuse.
WOAY will continue to follow this story and provide future updates.
Summers County, WV (WOAY) – The Summers County Sheriff’s Department has captured an escaped fugitive.
Sheriff Faris and Sargent Ward found and apprehended Jason Pittman, who allegedly escaped on the 15 of February from the Raleigh County Department of Corrections.
Pittman was taken into custody without incident in the Judson Road area.
The sheriff’s office also arrested Darren Forren for obstructing law enforcement in the performance of their duties.
OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – Oak Hill City Manager Cris Meadows has resigned after less than a year on the job.
Meadows’ resignation was announced during tonight’s special meeting of the Oak Hill City Council. Council members went into a lengthy executive session to discuss a personnel matter.
When council returned, they announced his resignation and acceptance of early retirement. Council said they wished him well.
Tyler Bragg was named interim city manager. He currently serves as GIS coordinator for the city.
Meadows was hired last July. He had previously served as Hinton’s city manager for 22 years.
The reason for Meadows’s resignation was not immediately announced. We will update you as we learn more.
McDowell County, WV (WOAY) – We have an update on the lockdown at McDowell County Schools on Friday, March 13.
The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office is telling Newswatch that around 9 a.m. on Friday, they responded to a report of a shooting at Iaeger Elementary School.
All schools in McDowell County were put on lockdown, and State Police joined deputies to secure the area.
The lockdown began at roughly 9:30 and was lifted at around 11.
Officers determined the report was unfounded. The students, staff, and public were never in danger. Once the scene was secured, the lockdown lifted.
This situation is still under investigation, with police stating interviews with potential suspects are ongoing.
District leaders say they understand situations like this can be frightening, but regular safety training helped staff and students respond appropriately.
We will continue to track this story as we learn more. You can read the previous report here.
FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – A Charleston attorney and Fayetteville resident is facing multiple misdemeanor charges in connection with an accident that caused a partial collapse and fire at a house on Gatewood Rd on Christmas Eve.
Wesley Queen has been charged with one count of driving under the influence; one count of reckless driving; one count of unlawful removal, injury, or destruction of property; failure to maintain control, and one count of expired motor vehicle registration.
Magistrate court records indicate that Queen appeared in Magistrate Court today. He was released on a $1,500 cash bond.
A misdemeanor complaint obtained by Newswatch lays out new details about the accident and subsequent investigation.
Fayette County 911 received a call at around 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. A homeowner, Jodie Gray, said that a truck had hit her house and caused a partial collapse and fire. She said the driver of the truck was lying on the ground.
Deputies responded to the scene. When they got there, they said they found the truck fully engulfed in flames. EMS and fire units were already on scene and fighting the fire.
Deputies said they found tire tracks leading from the road to the house, a utility pole that was split in half and fully uprooted, a large broken tree limb, a bag of trash, an empty beer can, and scattered pieces of the vehicle.
According to the complaint, EMS personnel on scene told deputies that Queen was acting in a way “consistent with possible impairment of an unknown substance that could compromise the defendant’s ability to operate a motor vehicle.”
Several days later, deputies served a search warrant for records at Charleston Area Medical Center’s records building. According to the complaint, they were unable to find a toxicology report or blood work, but there was documentation that showed Queen had admitted to drinking and taking Ativan before driving.
Deputies then subpoenaed medical staff to verify that those records were correct.
The vehicle’s crash data recorder had been destroyed in the crash. However, another person had called 911 on Christmas Eve to report an erratic driver at around 7 p.m.
The complaint says deputies spoke with the caller, who told them he saw a truck matching the description of Queen’s vehicle repeatedly drifting and crossing the center line between the Glen Jean/Route 19 intersection and Hinkle Road in Fayetteville.
Based on the investigation and consultation with Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney Anthony Ciliberti, Deputy Sheriff M.E. Whittington charged Queen.
Fayette County Sheriff Jess McMullen praised the work of his deputies.
“Driving under the influence remains one of the most dangerous and preventable threats on our roadways. When someone chooses to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or mixing alcohol with prescription medication, they are putting innocent people at risk. In this case, a family’s home was struck and could have easily resulted in serious injuries or loss of life.”Sheriff McMullen said. “I also want to commend the deputies involved in this investigation for their thorough and dedicated work. Real police work is not like what people see on television. It often takes time to gather records, execute search warrants, interview witnesses, and carefully piece together the facts before charges can be filed.”
Newswatch previously spoke with the owner of the house that Queen allegedly hit. You can view that story here.
Raleigh County, WV (WOAY) – A Raleigh County woman has been arrested on a drug charge.
According to a media release from the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrested and charged Patricia Radar with one count of Possession with Intent to deliver.
The joint investigation between the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Beckley Police Department took place on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in the Bradley area of Raleigh County.
Not many details on the investigation are being released at this time.
Clay County, WV (WOAY) – A Clay County man has been arrested on a murder charge.
According to a media release from the West Virginia State Police, Troopers and Deputies from Clay County responded to a report of a shooting Maysel, West Virginia, on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
When law enforcement officers arrived, they found the victim, 31-year-old Savannah Keaton, of Massillon, Ohio, inside the residence, dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Troopers say the suspect, 24-year-old Richard Grad of Maysel, WV, allegedly fled the scene following the shooting and later surrendered to police at an alternate location.
Richard Grad was taken into custody and charged with first degree murder. Following arraignment, Grad was transported to the Central Regional Jail.
The case remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Police.
Mercer County, WV (WOAY) – Multiple Mercer County agencies responded to a vehicle in the water at 1475 Airport Road in the Kee Dam area this afternoon.
Crews arrived on scene at around 12:30 this afternoon.
Multiple agencies responded, including the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management, Bluefield Police Department, State Police from the Princeton Office, Department of Natural Resources, 106 Green Valley Fire Department, Department of Highways, and the Bluefield and Princeton rescue.
At this time, there is no word on injuries or how the vehicle ended up in the water.
We will keep tracking this story and update you as we learn more.
OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – The second round of snow associated with the strong storm that is passing to the north of the area is now making its way into the area this late Friday evening. The first part of the storm was one massive band of wet, heavy snow that dumped around 3″ on us at our studios just south of downtown Oak Hill. That snow ended, and after a break lasting a few hours, it’s back in the form of snow bands that have set up in the usual fashion when we have winds out of the northwest. Underneath the bands, the snow will be heavy, visibility will be cut down significantly, and additional accumulation is likely.
These bands will continue to push through for the rest of the night and into the morning hours tomorrow before finally ending. In the wake of this storm, very cold air will invade the region – one final blow from the persistent cold weather pattern of the last few weeks. Lows tonight will be in the single digits in most areas, and highs tomorrow will only be in the mid-teens.
Later in the forecast, we’ll finally see a warmup, enough of a warmup where the next round of precipitation with the next storm will be rain rather than snow at first, before changing over later next week. Highs will actually be in the 50s next Tuesday before falling back a bit. If it gets as warm as it is expected to, it will be the first time Beckley has been above the normal high temperature in what will be, by that point, nearly three weeks (January 22nd was the last time we were warmer than normal in Beckley).
Click on the link below for a video version of the forecast…
Raleigh County, WV (WOAY) – Raleigh County offices will close early due to inclement weather.
According to a media advisory from Raleigh County Administrator Jay Quesenberry, by authority of Greg Duckworth, President of the Raleigh County Commission and Chief Judge Todd Kirby the following offices will close at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 1:30 pm:
Raleigh County, WV (WOAY) – Two men allegedly involved in a shooting last weekend have been arrested by the United States Marshals Cuffed Task Force.
Law enforcement arrested Darnell Mitchell and Christopher Schrewbury today.
Both men are from Raleigh County and were believed to be armed and dangerous before their capture.
They are facing multiple felony charges, including wanton endangerment stemming from a shooting that happened on Saturday, January 24, on Juniper Street in the Calloway Heights area.
The U.S. Marshals Cuffed Task Force is made up of local officers working with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kanawha County, WV (WOAY) – All 55 counties in West Virginia are now in a State of Emergency due to the approaching winter storm.
Governor Morrisey formally requested that President Trump issue a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration for West Virginia.
The National Weather Service is forecasting snow amounts of 9 to 12 inches, starting Saturday through Monday.
Governor Patrick Morrisey urges West Virginians to stay informed on weather conditions, avoid unnecessary travel, and listen to state and local emergency management officials.
Stay tuned to WOAY for the latest information from our Stormwatch weather team.
WV (WOAY) – Governor Patrick Morrisey has declared a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties due to the expected winter storm coming up this weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for most of the state from Saturday morning to Monday morning.
The State of Preparedness allows the West Virginia Emergency Management Division to prepare staff and resources to respond to local emergencies properly.
Governor Morrisey reminds all West Virginians to prepare and stay informed about the weather. He also urged West Virginians to limit travel and only travel when necessary.
FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – Multiple injuries have been reported after a tractor-trailer was involved in a wreck with three other vehicles in Fayetteville at the intersection of US-19 and North Court Street (WV-16).
The accident occurred at around 2 p.m.
The Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department, local police agencies and multiple EMS units were dispatched to the scene.
Two patients were airlifted out. Three trucks took the other injured individuals to Raleigh General and Summersville Regional Medical Center
We will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
Pipestem, WV (WOAY)- The Summers County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting.
Sheriff Justin Faris tells WOAY that the shooting occurred overnight at the Rock Ridge Bar in Pipestem.
Sheriff Faris says a female bystander was shot in the leg. She was then taken to WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.
Summers County Deputies arrested and charged 26-year-old Raesean Tyrell Smith of Beckley with Brandishing a Weapon, Wanton Endangerment, and Shooting within 500 feet of a Dwelling.
Authorities are expecting to make more arrests related to the shooting.
OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – The Oak Hill Police Department says an autopsy and investigation have led them to conclude that the death of a woman on Riner Avenue is not a criminal matter.
The police department says the death is consistent with the medical history of the deceased woman, based on preliminary results from the state medical examiner.
The investigation was reviewed by the Fayette County prosecuting attorney’s office. Oak Hill Chief of Police Mike Whisman says the department extends its condolences to the victim’s family.
