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Man indicted after fatal ATV wreck

PARSONS — Five grand jury indictments were returned in Tucker County Tuesday, including one direct indictment of a Thomas man accused of driving an ATV under the influence of alcohol that led to the death of an area woman.

Charles B. Arnold, 41, was indicted on one felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol and causing death, one felony count of child neglect resulting in bodily injury, one felony count of child neglect creating risk of serious bodily injury and one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol and causing bodily injury.

According to court documents, at approximately 10:44 p.m. on May 21, Deputies B.T. Zirk and C.R. Donelson, both of the Tucker County Sheriff’s Office, were dispatched by Tucker County 911 Communications to a single-vehicle accident along Pendleton Run Road.

Officers were notified by 911 of “multiple injuries” and one potential fatality as a result of the accident, according to the criminal complaint.

Upon arriving at the Huntington Gate Club entrance of Pendleton Run Road, officers were met by a man and his wife, who was a former EMT, who opened the gate to allow officers and emergency personnel entry.

The couple told officers they had received a call about the incident from Arnold’s son, who was traveling behind him when it occurred, police said.

Upon arrival on the scene, officers were approached by a juvenile male who was later to found to be a passenger on the wrecked vehicle, the complaint states. The juvenile appeared to be injured but was treated on scene before being transported by Tucker EMS to Garrett Memorial Hospital, located in Oakland, Maryland.

As officers approached the vehicle, that appeared to have rolled multiple times, over the embankment, they observed the deceased, Amanda Marie Long, pinned underneath the roll bar and an adult male, later identified as Arnold, who appeared to be pinned under a rear tire of the vehicle, the complaint states.

Long appeared to have a swollen face and to not be breathing, according to the complaint. The former EMT on scene checked for a pulse but was unable to establish that one existed.

Donelson approached Arnold and asked if he was operating the vehicle when the accident took place, to which he replied he had been. Medical and fire crews arrived and began extracting involved individuals involved while Zirk photographed the scene, police said.

While the scene was being processed, a number of both opened and unopened alcoholic beverage cans were located throughout the incident scene that appeared to “come from the crashed vehicle,” according to the complaint.

Officers also located a box inside the vehicle that contained matching alcoholic beverage cans, according to the complaint.

Long was transported to, Davis Medical Center, in Elkins, while Arnold was transported to Garrett Memorial Hospital where he was later told by officers that Long had passed away, before he was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital, police said.

Officers later spoke to the juvenile they had previously met on scene, along with his mother, who both said they had seen Arnold drinking alcohol prior to operating the vehicle, the complaint states.

On May 22, a state medical examiner spoke with Zirk and told him Long had passed away due to asphyxiation from being pinned under the ATV, according to the complaint.

Officers then obtained statements from the former EMT’s husband who was on scene, saying Arnold had been drinking at his residence before leaving to return home, the complaint states.

Other indictments returned Tuesday:

• William G. Murphy, 53, of Kerens, was indicted on one felony count of malicious assault, one felony count of strangulation and one misdemeanor count of domestic battery.

• Michael Todd Nesslerodt, of Thomas, was indicted on one felony count of first-degree robbery, one felony count of wanton endangerment involving a firearm and one misdemeanor count of domestic assault.

• Aaron Todd Wolfe, 36, was indicted on one felony count of grand larceny and one felony count of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle.

• Clinton Dale Streets, 27, of Davis, was indicted on one felony count of third-offense shoplifting.

The cases were presented by Prosecutor Ray LaMora III. Circuit Judge James W. Courrier Jr. presided.

Arraignment hearings will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the Tucker County Court House.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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