Adams

ELKINS — A Randolph County man is behind bars and accused of choking another man during an altercation.

Denton Thomas Adams, 38, has been charged with strangulation, a felony. He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $15,000 cash-only bond, set by Magistrate Mike Dyer.

According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Patrolman First Class D.T. Sayre of the Elkins Police Department, on Monday, Sayre and Patrolman C.J. Elmore investigated a situation at a residence on Central Street.

A man at the home told officers that Adams had “knock(ed) me to the floor and proceeded to choke me with both hands, saying he was sick and tired, I was living too long, and that his ‘expiration date had expired,'” the complaint reads.

The alleged victim said he had lost consciousness for around 10 seconds, saying, “I lay flat on my back being choked and passed out momentarily,” the complaint states. “He took my car fob and threw my cell phone across the room and took all portable land phones … I tried to scoot to the front door and call to the street for help.”

He allegedly told officers he was in fear for his life, saying Adams told him “I was worthless s*** and needed to die or he would kill me, he had had enough.”

The alleged victim said his car had been taken by Adams, who drove away from the residence with a woman before the officers arrived, according to the complaint.

While officers spoke with the alleged victim, Adams arrived back on the scene and was told to remain outside the residence, the complaint states

“Adams began to walk on the porch of the residence and wanted to ‘listen to what he was saying,'” the complaint states. “Adams was instructed that he was being detained pending investigation and told to remain outside.”

Once officers received a verbal and written statement from the alleged victim and he was evaluated by Randolph County EMS, Sayre “proceeded to place Adams into restraints and advised him that he was under arrest,” according to the criminal complaint.