The Oak Hill detachment of the West Virginia State Police has formally filed criminal charges against an individual who engaged in an altercation with a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy on Tuesday, Aug 3.
Jerome Howard Friedman, 32, of Hamilton, New Jersey, now has criminal warrants pending for malicious assault, obstructing-attempt to disarm an officer, and fleeing with reckless indifference.
The series of events began when Friedman allegedly stole a vehicle in Flatwoods (Braxton County) earlier that day. The Fayette County 911 center received notification that this vehicle was traveling through Fayetteville at an extremely high rate of speed. The deputy spotted the vehicle and witnessed it turn into the Sheets store at Whitewater Avenue. During a struggle, after he fled on foot, Friedman attempted to take the deputy’s firearm from him, which led to the eventual discharging of the firearm, according to a press release from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.
Friedman is currently recovering from gunshot wound injuries sustained during the incident. He will be taken into formal custody upon his eventual discharge from medical treatment.
The officer’s name is not being released at this time.
