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Randolph grand jury hands down 36 indictments

ELKINS — A Randolph County man accused of running over another man, causing him to be life-flighted to a Morgantown hospital due to his injuries, was among 36 people named in indictments handed down Monday by a Randolph County grand jury.

Andrew Stephen Purdum, 29, of Montrose, was indicted on one felony count of attempted first-degree murder and one felony count of malicious assault. He is incarcerated at Central Regional Jail.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, at approximately 2:14 a.m. April 25, Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputy D.D. Pennington received a call from Randolph County E-911 in reference to a male beating on a vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart, located at 721 Beverly Pike in Elkins.

While en route to the scene, Pennington was told an individual, later identified as Jonathan Tanner, had been struck by a vehicle. Once at the location, Pennington observed Tanner laying in the parking lot, bleeding from his head and mouth, the complaint states.

Pennington attempted to speak to Tanner but he was unable to provide information due to the injuries he sustained; however, Elkins Police Department Patrolmen C.G. Boatwright and D.T. Sayre were on scene prior to Pennington’s arrival, police said.

They said Tanner told them the person driving the truck was Purdum, the complaint states.

Pennington also spoke to one witness who was with Tanner and said Purdum had told them it was OK to borrow “the truck” to get gas and to stop at Walmart. She said when attempting to leave Walmart, Purdum came “out of nowhere” in a black car and started to beat on the truck. She added she stopped the vehicle, and Purdum pulled Tanner out of the passenger seat of the truck, according to the complaint.

At that point, Tanner fled on foot, at which time Purdum pulled her out of the driver’s seat, got into the car and pursued Tanner, clipping him with the vehicle, police said.

Pennington obtained footage recorded by a separate witness, taken on a cell phone, that showed Tanner running from the truck while it made a “quick U-turn” and proceeded to chase him. The footage shows the driver miss on his first attempt at running Tanner over, then turning and accelerating at a high rate of speed before striking Tanner and continuing his path of travel onto the Beverly Five-lane, the complaint states.

Pennington described the vehicle as being colored red or burgundy and appearing to be a Chevrolet Colorado truck, which is what the witnesses described, according to the report.

Pennington also was able to obtain Walmart surveillance footage that also shows the incident taking place, police said.

Randolph County Sheriff Mark T. Brady told The Inter-Mountain on April 25 that Tanner had been transported to Davis Medical Center by Randolph County EMS before being taken by HealthNet to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.

Brady said Tanner suffered head injuries and underwent surgery for head trauma.

Other indictments handed down Monday include:

• Mary Golden Bevard, 77, of Huttonsville, was indicted on one felony count of arson in the first degree and two misdemeanor counts of battery on a governmental representative.

• Beth Ann Meadows, 52, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of arson in the second degree and one felony count of destruction of property.

• Julius Neal Nicholas, 41, of Mabie, was indicted on six felony counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child, four felony counts of sexual assault in the second degree, and four felony counts of incest.

• Travis Vernon Mallow, 31, of Elkins, was indicted on two felony counts of sexual abuse in the first degree and one felony count of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child.

• Matthew Wayne Kelley, 44, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of sexual abuse in the first degree.

• Elizabeth Kay Hawkins, 32, of Beverly, was indicted on two felony counts of child abuse resulting in injury and three felony counts of child neglect creating risk of serious bodily injury or death.

• Lisa Dawn Andrews, 32, of Elkins, was indicted on three felony counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm and one felony count of child abuse creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

• Robert Lee Roy, 49, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of robbery in the second degree and one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle.

• Holly Christine Chewning, 44, of Elkins, was indicted on three felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance with 1,000 feet of a school.

• Mercedes Nicole Isenhart, 21, of Beverly, was indicted on three felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance.

• Tyler Gaston Riffle, 24, of Eleanor, was indicted on two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, one felony count of conspiracy and one misdemeanor count of fleeing from an officer by any means other than the use of a vehicle.

• Cody Robert Streets, 25, of Buckhannon, was indicted on two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, one felony count of conspiracy and one misdemeanor count of fleeing from an officer by any means other than the use of a vehicle.

• Joshua Dewayne Simmons, 24, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of fleeing in a vehicle with reckless disregard, one misdemeanor count of fleeing from an officer by any means other than use of a vehicle, one misdemeanor count of assault upon a governmental representative, one misdemeanor count of reckless driving and one misdemeanor count of no insurance.

• Eric Robin Currence, 37, of Mill Creek, was indicted on two felony counts of burglary, one felony count of grand larceny and one felony count of attempted assault during the commission of a felony.

• Wayne Edward Crim, 52, of Buckhannon, was indicted on two felony counts of burglary, one felony count of conspiracy and one misdemeanor count of petit larceny.

• Lindsey Ann Quigley, 28, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of breaking and entering, one felony count of conspiracy, and one misdemeanor count of petit larceny.

• Mitchell Thomas Posillipo, 23, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of breaking and entering, one felony count of conspiracy, and one misdemeanor count of petit larceny.

• Anthony Michael Demart, 34, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was indicted on one felony count of grand larceny and one felony count of conspiracy.

• Jeffrey Philip Gentile, 39, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was indicted on one felony count of grand larceny and one felony count of conspiracy.

• Shylo Maranda Jones, 26, of Junior, was indicted on one felony count of grand larceny, one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle, one felony count of failure to appear and one misdemeanor count of fleeing the scene of an accident.

• Charles Gary Gibson, 58, of Buckhannon, was indicted on one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle and one felony count of transferring stolen goods.

• Laura Elizabeth Watson, 32, of Bartow, was indicted on eight felony counts of forgery, eight felony counts of uttering and one felony count of conspiracy.

• Kristina Nicole Kidd, 29, of Bartow, was indicted on eight felony counts of forgery, eight felony counts of uttering and one felony count of conspiracy.

• Jason Lee Marlow, 44, of Coalton, was indicted on two felony counts of fraudulent use of an access device and one felony count of failure to appear.

• Jessica Lynne Iman, 25, of Seneca Rocks, was indicted on one felony count of obtaining property in return for worthless checks and one misdemeanor count of fraudulent schemes.

• Jack David Raines Jr., 44, of Monterville, was indicted on one felony count of possession by prohibited person of a firearm.

• Justin Pete Short, 34, of Valley Head, was indicted on one felony count of failure to register as a sexual offender or provide notice of registration changes, second or subsequent offense.

• Paul Grant Himes Jr., 33, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of failure to register as a sexual offender or provide notice of registration changes.

• Denver Franklin Bennett, 24, of Valley Head, was indicted on three felony counts of shoplifting, third offense.

• Trisha Michelle Maxson, 29, of Elkins, was indicted on two felony counts of shoplifting, third offense.

• Lisa Mae Tingler, 37, of Elkins, was indicted on two felony counts of shoplifting, third offense.

• Joshua Aaron Walther, 29, of Valley Bend, was indicted on one felony count of driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense, one misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle with an expired motor vehicle inspection sticker and one misdemeanor count of no insurance.

• Rebecca Lou Blankenship, 43, of Huttonsville, was indicted on one felony count of driving while license revoked for DUI, third or subsequent offense.

• Tajia Jean Watson, 27, of Monterville, was indicted on two felony counts of failure to appear.

• Caroline Elizabeth Cain, 43, of Elkins, was indicted on one felony count of failure to appear.

The cases were presented by Prosecutor Michael W. Parker. Circuit Court Judge David Wilmoth presided.

Arraignment hearings will be at 9 a.m. on Nov. 6 at the Randolph County Courthouse.

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

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