BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — A Delbarton man was arrested on two counts of attempted murder Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Roger D. Wallace, 78, was arrested by Sgt P. Muncy, Cpl. M. Lendearo, Cpl. E. Williams and Deputy J.D. Tincher of the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD), with assistance from the Williamson Police Department, for two counts of attempted murder, fleeing while under the influence and driving while intoxicated (DUI).

The MCSD received a BOLO that a man in a blue Chevy Cobalt (allegedly Wallace) was on his way to Williamson to “shoot up a medical clinic.”

While on patrol, an officer received a call from 911 that someone had fired a rifle at two men in Delbarton. While en route, an officer attempted to stop the Cobalt driven by Wallace. The defendant refused to stop.

There was a wreck on U.S. 52 on Buffalo Mountain and Wallace went around the scene, according to the criminal complaint. He endangered bystanders by going around the wreck, police said.

Deputies got Wallace to stop at Valley View. The officers approached and ordered the suspect out of the vehicle. They observed an AR-15 in the passenger seat of the car. In plain view, they also noticed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and a loaded 9mm pistol, along with five loaded magazines for the AR-15.

Law enforcement reported they smelled the odor of alcohol on Wallace, who refused a sobriety test.

Wallace appeared in Magistrate Court for arraignment by Magistrate Jim Harvey. His bond is $201,000 cash only.

He remains in jail at the Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden.