ALDERSON, WV (WOAY) – Summers County Special Prosecuting Attorney, Larry E. Harrah, II announces that multiple charges were presented to the July 2018 Summers County Grand Jury against Frederick Tolliver for crimes allegedly arising from a shooting that occurred on the night of October 27, 2017, on Eagle Branch Road in Alderson. Alderson Police Officer, Mac Brackenridge, who was not on duty at the time, was critically injured by gunfire and is paralyzed as a result of his injuries. Other individuals were also injured as a result of this incident.
The Summers County Grand Jury voted not to indict Tolliver for any crimes arising from this incident. The Grand Jury is an independent court of inquiry, and its decision is not subject to review.
The Summers County Grand Jury returned a three-count misdemeanor indictment against Travis Copenhaver, Lloyd W. Lightner, Jr., Timothy Smith and Shannon Earhart for conspiracy, giving false information to the department of public safety (State Police), and obstructing an officer. All these misdemeanor crimes are alleged to have arisen during the course of the investigation of the incident that occurred at the Tolliver residence last fall.
These charges are only accusations, and all named individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.