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Elkins man to face more charges after failing to show up for hearing

ELKINS – An Elkins man who was arrested on malicious wounding charges failed to appear for his hearing in Randolph County Magistrate Court on Tuesday and, as a result, is now facing additional legal repercussions.

Ernest Bruce Turner, 70, was arrested on one count of malicious wounding in January after Elkins Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call on South Davis Avenue on Jan. 15.

According to the criminal complaint, police obtained a statement from the alleged victim claiming Turner “grabbed her right wrist and placed it on the hot stove burner causing her hand to be burnt” after the two had an argument.

Turner was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Randolph County Magistrate Court at 10 a.m. Tuesday but did not show up at that time, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lori Haynes said. Chief Magistrate Ben Shepler said Turner turned up Tuesday afternoon claiming that his preliminary hearing was at 3 p.m. Both Haynes and Shepler said the preliminary hearing was scheduled at 10 a.m.

Shepler charged Turner with one count of failure to appear, a felony, and set his bond at $1,000 cash only. Turner is currently being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail.

Also in Randolph County Magistrate Court Tuesday:

  • Clarence Nekia Hornick, 36, of Elkins, who was arrested on one count of third offense domestic battery in January, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The matter will be bound over to Randolph County Circuit Court.

In December, Elkins Police Department officers responded to a call involving a woman who said she had been receiving harassing and threatening texts, phone calls and messages from Hornick, according to the criminal complaint.

The woman said in her written statement that Hornick “repeatedly hit her in the face, then proceeded to twist her arm all the way around in her vehicle during a physical altercation.”

She also reported that Hornick left messages on Facebook and called her house continually. She told police that she had about 20 minutes of recordings from Hornick threatening her on the telephone. Police listened to the recordings and heard Hornick making multiple threats toward the woman and her family, according to the complaint.

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