Sentencing hearing in Elkins stabbing incident delayed
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The Inter-Mountain photo by Edgar Kelley
Kayla McCauley appears in Randolph County Circuit Court Monday.
ELKINS -- A sentencing hearing for an Elkins woman in Randolph County Circuit Court Monday morning was continued until a diagnosis evaluation is received by the court.
At a hearing on June 26, Kayla McCauley, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of malicious assault, a felony, and one count of unlawful wounding, a felony.
On June 26, Circuit Judge David Wilmoth ordered a diagnosis evaluation from the state Division of Corrections. At Monday's hearing, officials said the evaluation has still not been received.
"I don't see the need to reschedule (the sentencing) because we have to wait on evaluation," Wilmoth said. "So let me get ahold of the DOC and see how (long) it will be to complete that. Once we get the evaluation back we will put it on the docket for as soon as we can."
McCauley was arrested on July 20, 2019, when officers Foster and Shiflett of the Elkins Police Department responded to a call regarding an assault complaint on North Randolph Avenue, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim of the assault was giving McCauley a ride from Montrose into Elkins when McCauley began making comments about how she was going to "hurt her mother," the complaint states. The victim shifted gears while driving, causing McCauley's marijuana to spill, which in turn prompted her to become angry and begin hitting the victim on the head.
According to the complaint, the victim stopped his vehicle on the side of the road and removed the keys from the ignition while McCauley continued to beat him. When he escaped from the vehicle, McCauley then attempted to steal his checkbook and a folding knife. Police located her and took her into custody.
Previous to her arrest, McCauley also had an outstanding warrant for the unlawful wounding of her mother in their home. On July 15, police responded to a call on Linda Lane in Elkins regarding a stabbing.
Upon arrival at the residence, officers found the victim visibly shaking and clutching a wash cloth around her arm, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim's robe, wash cloth and left arm had blood on them and when officers lifted the wash cloth, they observed a wound that entered one side of the victim's arm and exited the other, the complaint stated.
The victim's boyfriend stated that he had locked the bedroom door before going to sleep but woke to see McCauley in the room, yelling for them to leave. After McCauley stabbed her mother in the arm, she fled the residence and police were unable to locate her, the compliant states.
During the plea hearing, McCauley was represented by her attorney, Gregory R. Tingler.
"It didn't turn out like the way it was supposed to," said McCauley. "I didn't mean to stab (my mother.) I don't really remember some of it because I was really messed up at the time so I ended up stabbing her but I didn't mean to. I talk to her about it, I talk to her every day... I was really high on meth."