Swiger

Swiger

ELKINS– A Belington man is facing a felony charge in Randolph County after allegedly threatening a victim with a gun.

Richard Allen Swiger, 25, is charged with wanton endangerment involving a firearm. Swiger’s bond was set at $75,000 cash only by Randolph County Magistrate Judge Ben Shepler.

According to the criminal complaint prepared by Senior Patrolman K.A. Shiflett of the Elkins Police Department, on Jan. 23 at approximately 5:28 p.m., EPD officers responded to Harrison Avenue.

The report states that an alleged victim advised Shiflett that she was in a car with Swiger when she suggested they go to Dollar General in order to obtain products for her sister, at which time Swiger asked, “Do you always have to steal?,” to which the alleged victim replied that she was not “stealing” but “asking” and that it was none of Swiger’s business.

According to the complaint, the subjects were in the turning lane in front of Dollar General when Swiger “smacked her in the face,” knocked her glasses off and proceeded to strike her in the face again. According to the complaint, the victim stated, “He hit me like a man twice.”

The report states that after the alleged victim informed Swiger that she was calling the police, he grabbed a pistol, “cocked it,” and pointed it at the alleged victim’s face.

According to the complaint, the alleged victim stated that Swiger was seated in the front seat of the vehicle when he got onto his knees, turned around in the seat and pointed the pistol at her face.

The report later states that when asked by officers if he had been in possession of a firearm that day, Swiger responded, “Yes, sir,” later advising that he had gotten rid of it by tossing it out of a window while on Laurel Mountain.

While speaking to the alleged victim’s sister, who was seated in a rear passenger’s seat at the time of the incident, officers were advised that she believed she could show them the firearm’s location, at which time Swiger was placed under arrest for wanton endangerment and transported to Tygart Valley Regional Jail.

If convicted, Swiger could be imprisoned in a penitentiary for one to five years, or, at the discretion of the court, confined in the county jail for up to one year, or fined $250 to $2,500 or both.