A Greenbrier County man was arrested once again on Sunday, November 14, after a home confinement violation led to an altercation with law enforcement. Levi Michael Arnold, 28, of Rainelle, has been charged with violating home confinement, fleeing on foot, three-counts of brandishing a weapon, attempt to commit a felony, assault during the commission of a felony, attempt to disarm an officer, obstructing an officer, assault of an officer, battery of an officer and malicious assault in Greenbrier County. In addition, Arnold incurred several charges through Raleigh County as well, including two-counts of obstructing an officer, bringing contraband into a county facility, assault of an officer, battery of an officer and attempt to disarm an officer.
At approximately 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, November 14, law enforcement responded to a 911-alert regarding a “disturbance” on Kanawha Avenue in Rainelle involving Levi Michael Arnold. While en route, officers were advised that “Arnold now had a knife and was threatening his mother.” Officers were further advised that Arnold had “left the residence on foot.”
According to the criminal complaint, Arnold was found to be walking near Treadway’s Dirt Work. Officers reportedly “made contact and gave Mr. Arnold orders to drop his backpack and get on the ground,” however Arnold allegedly ignored the officers’ commands.
Officers further report observing “a knife in his (Arnold’s) right hand.”
Officers further ordered Arnold to drop the knife, at which point Arnold fled, on foot, into the Kroger parking lot. As officers gave chase, Arnold continued to ignore instructions to “stop running and drop the knife.”
Officers quickly caught up with Arnold, at which point a struggle ensued. During the altercation, Arnold allegedly headbutted one officer, and made efforts to remove another officer’s service weapon, “actively attempting to pull it from the holster in an apparent attempt to gain control in order to shoot these officers.”
An officer also sustained a cut on his thumb as a result of Arnold swinging his knife at him. With the assistance of a third officer, Arnold was restrained and placed under arrest. Arnold was initially charged with three-counts of attempted murder.
Two days later, on Tuesday, November 16, Arnold was brought to the Beckley Detachment of the West Virginia State Police as part of a separate investigation into the charge of transporting a deadly weapon into a correctional facility. While being transported back to Southern Regional Jail, Arnold allegedly instigated yet another altercation with law enforcement.
As explained in the criminal complaint: “Arnold was secured in handcuffs and placed in a seatbelt in the patrol vehicle. Due to the fact that Arnold had inflicted severe lacerations to his wrists during a previous unrelated incident, Arnold was handcuffed in front of his body to decrease the pressure on his wounds. As these troopers were travelling along Airport Road, Arnold lunged forward and grabbed this trooper’s department issued handgun, attempting to pull the same from this trooper’s holster.”
After two taser deployments, troopers were able to physically restrain Arnold for the duration of the journey back to Southern Regional Jail.
This is the third encounter Arnold has had with law enforcement in 2021. On Saturday, April 24, Arnold was charged with domestic assault and battery as a result of a physical altercation with his mother at her Rainelle home. Arnold had also been serving a sentence through home confinement when the most recent alleged incidents occurred.
Levi Michael Arnold is currently being held at Southern Regional Jail in lieu of a $200,000 cash-bond or surety.
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