West Virginia
WSAZ Investigates | Unheard
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – She was a rising star at the West Virginia Department of Transportation.
Shawna, who has chosen not to reveal her last name or show her face on camera, started her career at the West Virginia Department of Transportation in 2019 as a secretary working for one of the district engineers.
In 2020, she was promoted to executive assistant to the number two of the agency, Alan Reed, the West Virginia State Highway Engineer. It was a job she considered a dream come true.
“I considered that an absolute honor and everything that I handled, it’s an honor you take it very serious every phone call you get with a concerned citizen, whether it’s a pothole needing fixed or they’re just needing a phone call, return,” said Shawna in a sit down interview with WSAZ’s Sarah Sager.
From there, accolades for her work started rolling in.
Shawna received a couple of awards, including Employee of the Year in 2022.
However, that same year Shawna says behind the scenes that dream had been turning into a nightmare.
SAGER: “How do you get from Vision Award, and Employee of the Year to where we’re sitting in 2024?”
SHAWNA: “I can’t answer that. I don’t know. It hurts.”
Shawna says starting in 2021 she endured inappropriate behavior from her supervisor – former WV State Highway Engineer, Alan Reed.
SAGER: “When did things start to change because seems like at that time, you were pretty happy and things were going well, you were continuing to draw, when did things shift?”
SHAWNA: “You know, Sarah, looking back, in hindsight I would say it was it was probably, you know, right away. If you look at text, there was some some difference in texting honestly. But when it was about a year, year and a half later, I really started noticing the differences.”
SAGER: “So you’re seeing this shift, maybe like March or so of 2021. Things are changing within the department. Are you also feeling a shift with within your personal workspace with the people that you’re interacting with?”
SHAWNA: “Most definitely – more specifically with with Mr. Reed. There’s a lot of personal, a lot of personal text. A lot of late night early morning text. A lot of physical touch. Just a lot of intimacy, to be honest, if you want to call it that.”
SAGER: “When you say physical, this became a physical encounter for him, was he touching you? Did things cross the line?”
SHAWNA: “Absolutely.”
SAGER: “Can you give me an example?”
SHAWNA: “It’s tough to talk about. It’s even more tough to tell you.”
Shawna went on to describe several instances she says made her uncomfortable in the office and work trips where she says Reed would cross the line.
SHAWNA: “I would travel with him. He has a state car. And there would be trips that he would place his hand within the inner part of my thigh. That would be about the extent of that, but extremely uncomfortable. Is that what a supervisor does to an employee? And I mean in any job, but is that what I expected my executive branch state leader to be? Absolutely not.”
In 2022, it was on two of those trips that Shawna says things escalated further.
Shawna says on a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi, Reed got a key card and got into her hotel room while she was sleeping.
Then, at a DOT Human Resources conference held at Pipestem Resort in early October 2020, Shawna says Reed grabbed her leaving bruises seen here on her arm.
Shawna says that incident was the breaking point.
After she returned from the conference, Shawna says she went directly to the head of the department, West Virginia Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston – who is also Alan Reed’s cousin.
SHAWNA: “I remember telling him he’s my supervisor. I think I said that like three or four times, but he’s my supervisor. I was trying to say he can’t do this. He’s my supervisor. You know, he thinks there’s a relationship. He’s my supervisor. I’m not comfortable in this. He’s my supervisor. And that’s when he said let me have a talk with him. He’s off Friday. Then he waited until I got back to my office and said, “Go home early today. Hang in there kiddo.”
Shawna says she was off work the following Monday. When she returned to work Tuesday, she went to Secretary Wriston for an update.
SHAWNA: “He said to give the situation two weeks and he had a stern talk with him over the weekend.”
SAGER: “What were the two weeks? What did he expect to change?”
SHAWNA: “I have no idea. I didn’t ask. That’s when I just felt sick when he said that. I wanted to say, “What do you really expect me to do?”. Do you know what’s already happened today?”
Shawna says at that point she filed a report with the State of West Virginia’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office on October 13th hoping to get help there.
However, the response from the head of the department of transportation just didn’t sit right with her.
SAGER: “Secretary Wriston took no action? Even moving your desk? Or putting you in another place?”
SHAWNA: “Nothing.”
WSAZ confirmed Reed was not suspended until November 3, 2022 – almost four weeks after Shawna says she took the issues to Secretary Wriston.
WSAZ’S Sarah Sager emailed, called and left a messages with Secretary Wriston to see why there was no immediate suspension or any action taken.
Secretary Wriston did not answer or return her calls or emails.
Sager also called Reed to speak with him about the allegations. He did answer her call, but would only say, “He had no comment”, and, “He did not know what she was talking about”.
What we do know is that according to a West Virginia EEO document, Shawna had a right to a decision within 70 working days of her complaint being assigned to investigators.
That paperwork was signed by Shawna and a West Virginia State Investigator on October 13, 2022.
If you check the calendar, 70 working days later was January 27, 2023 – the same day Alan Reed submitted a letter stating he was retiring effective January 31, 2023.
We also know Shawna was supposed to be notified if her case was substantiated or not substantiated, according to a West Virginia EEO complaint form found online.
SAGER: “With your EEO report, we read through the documentation and know that you were supposed to be notified if the case had been substantiated or not substantiated. Were you ever told either way?”
SHAWNA: “No, I was not.”
Sager reached out to the State of West Virginia Department of Administration which did oversee the EEO office, to find out why Shawna never received any information. A communications director told Sager the EEO office was actually disbanded in June of 2022 – months before Shawna filled out forms that all have EEO written on them.
That same communications officials told Sager that, that office does not and did not make determinations regarding the substantiation of complaints. The communication official even went on to say, “To the extent that she expected a determination from the Office of Equal Opportunity Office, her understanding of the process was mistaken.”
However, the state’s own website and voicemail tells a much different story.
The office that took over for West Virginia’s Equal Employment Opportunity office is now called the Office of Equal Opportunity, but when you call, the voicemail for that office still says EEO.
The State of West Virginia’s Office of Equal Opportunity’s website is also full of references to EEO.
Until Monday January 22, 2024, there were even links to the same complaint form Shawna filled out in October of 2022. That complaint form has now been taken down, and the link goes to an error message.
And remember how a state communications official said they do not and never have made determinations about substantiation of complaints?
WSAZ found a 2020 West Virginia Equal Employment Opportunity Office’s annual report found online shows otherwise. It breaks down the number of complaints, and how many were substantiated. The link to that 2020 WV EEO Annual Report now goes to an error page, but WSAZ saved that report before it was taken down. You can see it here.
Sager asked for clarification, but no one from the state will call or email us back.
With no answers from the state, Shawna tells us she did retain a lawyer who put the state on notice that she planned to file a lawsuit against the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Reed, and Secretary Wriston. However, that lawsuit was never filed, because the State of West Virginia settled.
Through a Freedom of Information Request, WSAZ obtained the settlement which shows the State of West Virginia paid Shawna hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop her claims against the Department of Transportation, Secretary Wriston, and Reed. The state’s attorneys also tried to get Shawna to sign an agreement not to disclose the terms of her settlement, but Shawna wouldn’t do it.
Shawna says while she tries to move on from the situation, she just wants change for other employees.
SHAWNA: “It hurts, but all I can tell you is that’s why I’m here talking with you today. All of this has taken things from me and I don’t want anybody to ever have to endure what I’ve done. If you see something, say something, stand up for your colleagues. Stand up as a woman, that government any job you work in and know that no, not okay. No means no. Stand up for yourself.”
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West Virginia offers deep river gorges, Appalachian mountain trails, and museums covering several layers of regional history. Day trips can lead to quirky stops like the legends at the Mothman Museum or haunting tours through a historic asylum. Other stops highlight art and science, with hands-on exhibits at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences and wide-ranging collections at the West Virginia State Museum. Places like Beech Fork State Park and Babcock State Park show off the landscapes that make West Virginia a rewarding place to drive through. Below are 12 day trips worth the drive, starting from Charleston and Huntington.
Starting City: Charleston
Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences (Within the City)
This 240,000-square-foot facility opened in 2003 and combines art exhibits with STEM experiences across multiple museums and theaters. The Avampato Discovery Museum is the child-facing centerpiece, with climbing sculptures, a music studio, a Space Lab for designing rockets, and a Wild Kratts Ocean Adventure covering various ocean ecosystems. The Caperton Planetarium & Theater handles night-sky programming. The other two anchors are the Juliet Art Museum with its Interactive Art Space and the Maier Performance Hall, which hosts performances from the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and visiting jazz ensembles.
West Virginia State Museum (Within the City)
The state museum dates to 1890 and was previously known as the West Virginia Science and Culture Center. It covers history, art, culture, paleontology, and archaeology across its galleries. The Discovery Rooms walk visitors through the prehistory of West Virginia, life on the Appalachian frontier, and John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, which helped ignite the American Civil War. Additional rooms cover West Virginia’s 1863 statehood (the state was carved from Virginia during the war) and its long heritage as a coal-mining state. Interpretive reconstructions throughout the museum recreate West Virginia landmarks including a classic soda shop, Harpers Ferry, and a coal mine.
Capitol Market (Within the City)
The Capitol Market in the heart of Charleston has been widely recognized as one of the best local shopping centers in the state. Set in a historic train depot, it houses produce merchants both indoors and outdoors. Inside, Johnnie’s Fresh Meat Market handles meat, Mea Cuppa Coffeebar pours coffee, and Bogey’s serves BBQ, fire-roasted corn, and homemade coleslaw. The outdoor section is where shoppers find flowers and greens from greenhouses like Bostic and Evans, along with fresh fruit and vegetables from Robbie’s Produce out of Sissonville, West Virginia.
Kanawha State Forest (15 Minutes)
West Virginia is one of the most heavily forested states in the country, with forest covering roughly 79% of its total land area. That reality is easy to experience 15 minutes south of Charleston at Kanawha State Forest. At 9,300 acres, the forest was once a logging and mining site before the West Virginia Conservation Commission purchased it and converted it to public land. There are more than 60 miles of hiking and biking trails, with strong wildflower viewing in spring and reliable bird sightings, including 19 species of wood warblers during migration. Davis Creek offers fishing opportunities with wheelchair-accessible piers.
Mothman Museum (1 Hour)
West Virginia has its share of cryptid legends, and the state’s most famous is Mothman, first sighted around Point Pleasant in November 1966 and described as a winged figure with glowing red eyes. The Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant calls itself the world’s only museum dedicated to Mothman, with collected newspaper clippings, eyewitness accounts, and props from the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies. Visitors can take pictures next to the nearby Mothman Statue or pick up Mothman-inspired shirts and souvenirs. The museum also runs the Mothman ’66 Escape Room and a Mothman Blacklight Mini-Golf course, both fit for families willing to lean into the spookier side of the legend.
Hawks Nest State Park (1 Hour)
Hawks Nest State Park covers 270 acres along the cliffs above the New River. The water below produces fast rapids popular with experienced whitewater rafters. Away from the rapids, the park offers a scenic overlook down to the New River Gorge Bridge and 8 miles of hiking trails climbing up into the mountains. Hawks Nest Lake holds bass for anglers, though swimming is not allowed in the lake (the park has a separate pool and splash pad). Like many West Virginia parks, it was initially developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and the Hawks Nest Park Museum covers that history.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)
A few more minutes’ drive from Charleston takes you down into the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The gorge was carved by the New River, which, despite its name, is actually one of the oldest rivers in North America at roughly 260 million years old. The gorge is the deepest in the Appalachian Mountains, with 1,000 feet of exposed sandstone and shale cliffs. Those cliffs support more than 1,600 established climbing routes, drawing climbers year-round. Hikers have nearly 100 miles of trails to choose from, along with scenic drives, whitewater rafting, and fishing access.
Babcock State Park (1 Hour, 30 Minutes)
Babcock State Park’s signature landmark is the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a working mill built in 1976 from parts of three historic West Virginia mills, most notably Cooper’s Mill, which had been destroyed by fire decades earlier. The mill is one of the most-photographed spots in the state. Beyond the mill, the park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails winding up into the Appalachian hills, and Boley Lake offers paddle boat, rowboat, and canoe rentals at the marina. Geocachers have left trinkets throughout the park, especially near Glade Creek Waterfall.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (1 Hour, 45 Minutes)
Construction on the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum began in 1858, and it opened in 1864 during the Civil War to house psychiatric patients. At 1,300 feet long, it remains one of the largest hand-cut stone masonry buildings in the United States. Originally designed to hold up to 250 patients under the 19th-century Kirkbride Plan, which emphasized natural light, air, and space, the asylum eventually housed as many as 2,400 patients at a time, with the crowding leading to documented abuses. It also housed Union and Confederate troops during various Civil War raids. The asylum closed in 1994 and now offers historical tours Tuesday through Sunday, with separate ghost tours available in the evening.
Starting City: Huntington
Huntington Museum of Art (Within the City)
At nearly 60,000 square feet, the Huntington Museum of Art is the largest art museum in West Virginia. The collection is eclectic, spanning fine paintings alongside decorative crafts. The Touma Gallery displays Middle Eastern pottery, metalwork, and woodwork including pieces from Damascus, Syria. The Herman P. Deans Firearms Collection covers early firearms and crossbows as examples of historic craftsmanship. On the grounds, West Virginia’s only plant conservatory showcases tropical and subtropical species, and 6 miles of hiking trails run through forested hills.
Heritage Farm Museum & Village (Within the City)
The Heritage Farm Museum & Village was the first Smithsonian Affiliate in West Virginia, recognized for its hands-on approach to Appalachian pioneer history. A former farmhouse converted into a multi-museum pioneer village, it covers specific aspects of Appalachian life across several buildings. The Progress Museum focuses on 1850s Appalachian settler life, while the Transportation Museum covers the railroad and frontier wagons. The Country Store Museum recreates a 19th-century general store, and the Children’s Hands-On Activity Center lets kids try 19th-century chores. A Treehouse Trek trail on canopy bridges rises 60 feet above the forest and ends at a large treehouse.
Beech Fork State Park (30 Minutes)
Less than half an hour from Huntington, the 3,000-acre Beech Fork State Park sits on Beech Fork Lake, a reservoir built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control on Twelvepole Creek. The park’s 31 miles of shoreline support canoes, kayaks, johnboats, and paddle boards, rentable at the dock. Fishing includes largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, and bluegill, with a valid West Virginia fishing license required. Hiking trails wind around the lake and up to overlooks.
There’s A Lot To See On These Country Roads
John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is still the most familiar song about West Virginia’s winding mountain roads, and along those roads are picturesque stops ranging from the Clay Center in Charleston to the Heritage Farm Village near Huntington. For travelers drawn to darker history, the Mothman Museum and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum preserve the stranger and more haunting side of the state. All of these sites sit within an easy day-trip radius of Charleston or Huntington, so the drive itself becomes part of the experience.
The No. 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (25-8, 10-5) host the Houston Cougars (16-19, 3-12) for a three-game Big 12 Conference series. The first game is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. EST, game two will be Saturday at 11:00 a.m. EST and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST. All the action will stream on ESPN+.
West Virginia bounced back last weekend with a road series win over Texas Tech after dropping their first series of the season to UCF the previous week that knocked back in the standing and have since won four of five last games.
Sophomore Gavin Kelly holds a team-high .409 batting average, while leading the team with 16 doubles, 34 RBI and is tied with senior Sean Smith for a club best five home runs.
Paul Schoenfield bounced back in the win over Penn State Wednesday night after a tough seven-game stretch of hitting .228, going 2-4 at the plate and bashed his second homerun of the season in his first at bat of the game.
West Virginia is expected to start junior right-hander Dawson Montesa (3-4, 5.96 ERA) to open the series, redshirt junior Maxx Yehl (5-1, 3.13 ERA) in game two, and sophomore Chansen Cole (5-1, 3.13 ERA) in game three.
Houston won its first five games of the season, including an 8-2 decision over nationally ranked Wake Forest to open the season, but have struggled during the Big 12 schedule, notching a mere three wins.
Senior Tyler Cox leads Cougars at the plate with a .319 batting average, while redshirt sophomore Xavier Perez leads the team with nine home runs, three triples, and 28 RBI, in addition to hitting .311 on the season.
On the mound, Houston is scheduled to start sophomore right-hander Kendall Hoffman (1-4, 4.70 ERA) in the series opener, senior righty Paul Schmitz (2-4, 6.57 ERA) is set for game two, and the Cougars will announced the starter for the series finale on game day.
This will be the second series meeting between the two programs. The Mountaineers swept the Cougars last season in Houston to lead the all-time series 3-0.
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