BUCKHANNON – Court documents have been filed containing additional details about three men from Crawford, W.Va. who were arrested on felony charges after several law enforcement agencies performed a series of searches in Upshur and Lewis counties on Tuesday.
Phillip Ogden, 33, of Crawford, was arrested for malicious or unlawful assault after an incident involving four-wheelers.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Sgt. Theron Caynor with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Ogden and Jack Bennington were involved in a dispute over four-wheelers at Ogden’s house in Rock Cave on Jan. 6.
“The victim thought the defendant had taken one belonging to him earlier, and in turn took one of the defendant’s,” according to the report.
Ogden confronted Bennington about the four-wheeler and allegedly took a claw hammer and swung it at the victim’s head, claws forward. Bennington used his hand to shield his head and received lacerations from the blow, according to the file.
Bennington told Ogden where the four-wheeler was, and Ogden sent a third party to get it.
“The defendant then forced the victim and his girlfriend … to stay at his residence,” the file states. “[Ogden] made them give up their cell phones and stood between them and the door with the hammer, barring them from leaving until the third party returned.”
Bail was set at $50,000. The potential penalty for malicious or unlawful assault is confinement in the penitentiary for two to 10 years.
Eric Chidester, 38, of Crawford was arrested for conspiracy.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office, Chidester was at Ogden’s residence during the incident and was the third party who allegedly left and located the ATV.
Bail was set at $15,000. The potential penalty for conspiracy is confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.
Eddie Bennington, 60, of Crawford was arrested for receiving and transferring stolen property.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Deputy Cole Bender with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb. 23, Bennington allegedly possessed a 1990 Kawasaki motorcycle at his residence, concealed under a tarp, that was stolen from Harrison County in 2019. The value of the motorcycle was estimated at $3,000.
Bail was set at $10,000. The potential penalty for receiving and transferring stolen property is confinement in the penitentiary for one to 10 years.
Upshur County Chief Deputy Mike Coffman said officers are still investigating and working with prosecutors, so more charges and future arrests could result from Tuesday’s searches.
