ELKINS — Two Randolph County women face multiple misdemeanor charges after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with a West Virginia State Trooper in the Highland Park area.

Katherine Faye St. Clair, 33, is charged with one count of obstructing a law-enforcement, probation, parole, court security, corrections officer with threats of harm; two counts of battery on government representatives, health care providers, utility workers, law-enforcement and EMS; one count of interference with officers or members and false information; and one count of possession of controlled substance without valid prescription, all misdemeanors. 

St. Clair was being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $3,000 10% cash, 90% personal recognizance bond that has since been posted.

Donna Denise Hardwick, 40, is charged with one count of obstructing a law-enforcement, probation, parole, court security, corrections officer with threats of harm and one count of battery on government representatives, health care providers, utility workers, law-enforcement and EMS. Hardwick was being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $200 cash bond that has since been posted.

According to the criminal complaints, filed by Trooper Thomas J. Sclimenti with the State Police, on the afternoon of Oct. 27, Sclimenti initiated a follow-up investigation for a stolen vehicle at a residence on Highland Street in Elkins. 

Sclimenti came in contact with Hardwick and St. Clair, both of whom were allegedly in possession of a vehicle belonging to St. Clair’s ex-partner, the complaint states. Sclimenti could allegedly observe where both women had been re-inflating a tire “as if to use the vehicle.”

Sclimenti also allegedly observed that the vehicle had a dealer plate, and when he asked St. Clair and Hardwick about it, Hardwick said a “friend had let them borrow it for when they got insurance,” the complaint states. The two women were informed by Sclimenti that this was not a “proper use” of a dealer plate. St. Clair allegedly responded that she did not drive the vehicle, but had put the plate on so she could move the vehicle from the driveway into the residence’s garage. Sclimenti then seized the plate for improper use.

As Sclimenti was attempting to facilitate the return of the vehicle to its owner, St. Clair was allegedly on the phone with said owner, the complaint states. St. Clair allegedly told the vehicle’s owner over the phone that if he “wanted to be petty, she could be petty.” St. Clair then allegedly began to walk back to the residence and away from Sclimenti, who followed St. Clair and informed her that she could not leave as she was being detained.

According to the complaint, St. Clair allegedly responded that Sclimenti could not detain her as she had not done anything and that she was going to call the Elkins City Police. Hardwick also allegedly stated that they both could not be detained. As Sclimenti attempted to escort St. Clair back to the residence’s garage, St. Clair allegedly began to resist Sclimenti, who then tried to put St. Clair in restraints.

St. Clair then allegedly began to strike Sclimenti, the complaint states. Then Hardwick allegedly came up from behind Sclimenti and attempted to pull Sclimenti away from St. Clair. Sclimenti writes that he drew his service weapon “due to being outnumbered and not knowing if the females were armed.”

Though Sclimenti ordered Hardwick to get on the ground, she allegedly did not comply, the complaint states. Sclimenti writes that he then switched to his department-issued Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) and attempted to separate and detain one of the two women. Both St. Clair and Hardwick allegedly began to yell that they were going to sue Sclimenti. Sclimenti was then able to place Hardwick on the ground, “where she remained for the duration of the incident.”

While Sclimenti attempted once again to detain St. Clair, she allegedly continued to resist his commands and pulled away, striking Sclimenti before sitting back on a moving-truck ramp, the complaint states. Sclimenti writes that he then deployed his CEW and placed St. Clair on the ground, however she allegedly “repeatedly ignored” Sclimenti’s commands to cooperate.

According to the complaint, St. Clair then allegedly placed her mouth and teeth onto Sclimenti’s hand in an attempt to “bite (his) hand.” Sclimenti writes that he “utilized closed hand strikes” on St. Clair to “maintain compliance.”

At this time, a male subject, who had been recording the incident, stepped forward and began to yell at Sclimenti, to which Sclimenti responded by drawing his service weapon and directing the male subject to step back, the complaint states. The male subject did step back.

As Sclimenti attempted to put “mechanical restraints” on St. Clair, she allegedly rolled over and struck Sclimenti again, the complaint states. Sclimenti writes that he performed another “closed hand strike” and rolled St. Clair back onto her stomach. At this time, more officers arrived on the scene.

After the incident, Sclimenti spoke with a neighbor who stated that she had personally observed St. Clair driving the stolen vehicle on Old Leadville Road on Oct. 25, the complaint states. The vehicle, at the time, had a trailer plate, the neighbor told Sclimenti. The neighbor said she witnessed, and had taken photos of, an unidentified male taking the plate off and placing it inside the vehicle before affixing the dealer plate. The neighbor also said St. Clair was allegedly the only person who drove the vehicle.

Sclimenti was later informed that, during a medical assessment of St. Clair, she had informed EMS that she “had drugs in her bra,” the complaint states. 

According to the complaint, Sclimenti was also told that Trooper First Class C. Hawkins with the West Virginia State Police had found a pipe used in the consumption of methamphetamine with a “large amount of a burnt white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamine” inside. Hawkins also allegedly found a cellophane wrapper containing baggies with a “white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamine.”

Sclimenti was given items that were found on St. Clair’s person, which allegedly included what appeared to be an empty cigarette pack that contained a cellophane baggy with a “white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamine,” the complaint states.