BY ANNIE HOLLER
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Williamson Fire Chief Joey Michael Carey has been placed on administrative leave after his arrest Friday night for allegedly firing a handgun round into a neighboring apartment in the building where he lives.
Carey, 49, was taken into custody at about 9 p.m. at the fire department and charged with two felony counts of wanton endangerment following a roughly three-month investigation into the Dec. 19, 2025, incident.
According to a criminal complaint filed Jan. 15 in Mingo County Magistrate Court by West Virginia State Police Trooper J.T. Kitts, residents of a neighboring third-floor apartment, Chadwick and Rhonda Varney, said they were inside their residence on Pike Street when a shot was fired. They reported no injuries.
During police questioning Jan. 18, Carey allegedly told troopers that he was home alone the night of the incident.
On March 9, Trooper Kitts obtained a search warrant for both apartments. Kitts, along with West Virginia State Police Cpl. Matheny, a crime scene coordinator, performed trajectory testing and determined the bullet traveled through Carey’s second-floor ceiling and the Varneys’ floor, passed through the third-floor living space and lodged in the ceiling.
Following his arrest, Carey was transported to Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden and released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond.
His arrest led to immediate action from Williamson City officials.
The Williamson City Council met in an emergency session Monday and went into executive session to discuss what officials described as a personnel matter. The council chamber was packed with Carey’s family members, friends and supporters.
When the council returned to open session, Williamson Mayor Mike Casey announced that Carey had been placed on administrative leave with pay, effective immediately.
Casey, a retired Williamson firefighter, said the decision was made “with a heavy heart.”
Carey has served as Williamson’s fire chief since 2014.
No announcement was made regarding an interim chief.
All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.