A Clarksburg man faces a malicious assault charge after allegedly attacking another man on East Main Street in Buckhannon, leaving the victim requiring treatment at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.
Zachary Crawford, 30, of Clarksburg, was arrested for malicious assault on Tuesday for an incident that occurred in October.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer patrolman Wade Loudin with the Buckhannon Police Department, on Oct. 8, 2024, Loudin was dispatched to East Main Street in reference to two males fighting.
Upon arrival, Loudin observed Charles (Chuck) Cutright standing on the sidewalk with blood on his face. The Upshur County Comm Center advised Loudin that the other party entered the Las Trancas parking lot and got into a black SUV. The officer observed a black Jeep Cherokee attempting to leave the parking lot, and he initiated his emergency lights and siren to get the vehicle to stop.
Loudin told the driver, Crawford, to exit the vehicle.
“Crawford was yelling that Cutright was making false accusations against him to people in the town,” Loudin wrote in the complaint. “I spoke with Cutright and evaluated his injuries. Cutright had a laceration to his nose, blood inside of his mouth and a swollen black eye. While speaking with Crawford, I observed blood on both of his hands.”
Cutright was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment.
“While at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Cutright stated that Crawford pulled up next to him while on East Main Street and stated that Cutright was making accusations about Crawford to people in the public,” Loudin wrote in the complaint. “Cutright stated that he told Crawford no he did not, at which point Crawford started hitting Cutright.”
Cutright told hospital staff that he could not see out of his left eye, and he was taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Bail was set at $5,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Mark Davis.
The potential penalty for malicious assault is confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than two nor more than 10 years.
