Man charged after allegedly admitting to shooting at dog in Upshur County

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) — A man has been charged after allegedly admitting to shooting at a dog in the direction of another person’s house in Upshur County.

On July 18, deputies with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department performed a home confinement check on Marion Street in Buckhannon where they located a firearm in a backpack that belonged to James Simons, 53, of Buckhannon, according to a criminal complaint.

During a previous check that month, deputies had found “small amount of methamphetamine” in Simons’ pocket, and he admitted to “unlawfully consuming marijuana as recently as July 15,” according to the complaint.

Tests obtained by a search warrant showed that Simons “tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine and THC,” deputies said. Due to the presence of substances in Simons’ blood, he was placed under arrest.

In an interview following the arrest, Simons told deputies that on or about Monday, July 15 he “did fire one.22 bullet in the direction of a dog,” according the complaint. Deputies said that Simons admitted that he was standing in the middle of Abbott Road when he fired the shot which was in the direction of the dog’s owner’s home.

Deputies were able to locate a .22 caliber cartridge in the backpack, which Simons “admitted was the cartridge fired at the dog,” according to the complaint.

Simons has been charged with wanton endangerment and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He is being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail.

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