West Virginia
Swift water training results in numerous rescues as flood waters raged – WV MetroNews
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Unlike most natural disasters West Virginia’s Natural Resources Police had plenty of time to plan and react to the most recent high water event in southern West Virginia.
“We knew we were going to get flooded somewhere, but we didn’t know exactly where. But we were prepared enough that when I left for work on Saturday morning I had a trailer hooked up to my vehicle with a boat knowing we would be deployed somewhere,” said Sgt. Dennis Feazell of the West Virginia Natural Resources Police.
All DNR law enforcement members are specifically trained in swift water rescue to some degree as part of their day to day duties.
PHOTO: NRPO Association
“We regulate the commercial whitewater industry, so we’ve always had a swiftwater rescue team. But with the rise in non-motorized watercraft like kayaks, we made a decision a couple of years ago to train all of our guys in swiftwater rescue and that keeps the public safe,” Feazell said.
The training paid of when the rainfall started. Feazell was working in the area of Mercer County around Oakvale and Spanishburg initially.
“The calls started rolling in and we worked all over Mercer County on the first night. We were hearing that McDowell County was getting hammered, but there was just no way to get in there to see if we could help anybody. That was a rough situation,” Feazell said.
Instead by Monday he was redirected to work on Marrowbone Creek in Mingo County.
“In my experience in the first 24 hours we were part of pulling out and rescuing 25 to 30 people just in my little section,” he explained.
Initially those they were helping were in immediate danger. Some were stranded in their vehicles as the water swept them away. Others were in houses where the water was rising and there was no way out.
“Those first eight hours a lot of them were in peril,” said Feazell. “We rescued one man in Oakvale from the back of his truck and it washed away. There were others in Spanishburg where I was working whose homes were filled up with water.”
Overall, Governor Patrick Morrisey noted in Friday’s media briefing first responders, which included Natural Resources Police, pulled more than 130 people out of harms way in which their homes or vehicles had become surrounded by water.
A body found in a burning vehicle in West Virginia has prompted a homicide investigation.
In a press conference on Monday, Sean Snuffer, the chief deputy of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, said first responders were called to a rural section of Cabin Creek Road on Sunday around 9:50 a.m. for reports of a “suspicious vehicle.” A 911 caller said the vehicle’s doors were open and items were scattered around the vehicle, Snuffer said.
About 13 minutes later, a 911 caller said the vehicle was on fire, officials said. After crews arrived and extinguished the vehicle fire, a body was found. The remains were taken to the medical examiner’s office, and an autopsy on Monday determined the death was a homicide, Snuffer said. Officials are not releasing the manner of death at this time.
The victim’s identity has not been released as of Monday night, though Snuffer said the body appears to be an adult male. Snuffer said the investigation is “active and ongoing.” It was not immediately known if there were any suspects.
“We can’t answer a whole lot of questions,” he added. “I know people are going to want to know exactly what happened, but we can’t release that information.”
The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the vehicle blaze. Anyone with information on the case can contact detectives with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office at 304-357-0556 or leave a tip on the sheriff’s website.
KENOVA, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man is facing multiple felony charges after a two-day investigation, according to West Virginia State Police.
On Friday, troopers say they responded to a brandishing complaint in Kenova.
During the investigation, troopers located the suspect, Skylar M. Larcart, 27, of Kenova, and found a firearm.
Troopers say they were then granted permission to search Larcart’s residence and vehicle. Their search resulted in the finding of a rifle, approximately 25 grams of marijuana and digital scales.
On Saturday, troopers say they also obtained a search warrant at Larcart’s residence.
During this search, investigators found multiple firearms, controlled substances and U.S. currency.
As a result of the investigation, Larcart was charged with 17 counts of persons prohibited from possessing firearms and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Troopers say over the course of the two-day investigation, Larcart accumulated a total of 21 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges.
Larcart is currently being held in the Western Regional Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
The West Virginia Mountaineers (46-16) fell to the North Carolina Tarheels (53-12-1) Sunday night 5-2 in the second game of the College World Series.
With a little luck, North Carolina scratched a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Jake Schaffner hit a leadoff single back up the middle before junior Owen Hall rolled a single through the left side. Then, on the first pitch delivered junior Macon Winslow was awarded first base after it was ruled the ball hit his foot. Despite no evidence on replay, he remained at first.
West Virginia starting pitcher Maxx Yehl walked in the first run and junior Erik Paulsen brought in a run with a slow high chopper towards first for a 2-0 lead.
The Mountaineers pulled within a run in the third after senior Ben Lumsden singled to right field and advanced to second on a ground ball from junior Tyrus Hall. Then, junior Armani Guzman drove an RBI single to centerfield.
West Virginia evened the game in the fourth when senior Sean Smith received a leadoff walk and senior Matt Graveline singled to right centerfield, placing runners at the corners before sophomore Matt Ineich hit into a double play, but brought in the tying run.
In the seventh, the Tarheels took advantage of the West Virginia miscues to take the lead. An error from Hall at third put the leadoff hitter aboard. Then, with one out, a bobble ball from senior second baseman Brodie Kresser on a potential inning ending double play, put two aboard before junior Gavin Gallaher drove a two-RBI triple to right centerfield. Hull followed with a chopper over the mound for an RBI single before Yehl could get out of the frame as UNC held a 5-2 advantage.
Yehl took the mound in the eight and after giving up the eighth hit of the night, WVU head coach Steve Sabins turned to senior Reese Bassinger. The redshirt junior finished the night with seven strikeouts and was credited with two earned runs.
After North Carolina sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Lynch was removed in the fifth, sophomore Walker McDuffie tossed 4.2 scoreless innings before Ineich was issued a one-out walk and Kresser followed with a single to bring the tying run to the plate. UNC head coach Scott Forbes handed the ball to freshman right-hander Caden Glauber
Glauber closed the door with a pair of strikeouts as the Tarheels held on for the 5-2 decision.
West Virginia will face Troy on Tuesday in an elimination game. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will be televised on ESPN.
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