Collins

BEVERLY — An Elkins man is behind bars after allegedly pointing a handgun at a 12-year-old boy.

Eddie Ray Collins, 32, is charged with felony wanton endangerment. Collins is being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond set by Randolph County Magistrate Tracy Harper.

Collins was arrested on Feb. 5 after deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in reference to a male subject brandishing a firearm at a juvenile in Elkins, the criminal complaint states.

Senior Deputy T.J. Knotts and Chief Deputy B.T. were summoned to the scene after a woman called 911 and reported the incident. When the officers arrived, a witness provided a written statement alleging that after driving her side-by-side to the end of a driveway to put out trash, the alleged victim made his way to the barn to feed the horses, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, after feeding the horses and coming out of the barn, the boy was approached by Collins, who came out of a white SUV with a handgun. The witness statement alleged that Collins “pointed the gun at (the juvenile).” The complaint states the juvenile pulled out his own pistol and told Collins that “you better leave.”

Collins then got back into his vehicle and left the scene, according to the complaint. The juvenile advised d eputies that when he was interacting with Collins, he detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from him. He also told deputies that he feared for his life when the gun, which he described as a back semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, was pointed at him.