Trooper remains critical; another dead after I-79 shooting
 |
Col, Jay Smithers |
August 29, 2012 ·
A West Virginia state trooper remains in critical condition this afternoon after being shot by a suspect he had arrested on Interstate 79 last night. Another trooper was killed.
Killed was Corporal Marshall Lee Bailey. He was shot by 20-year-old Luke Baber of Oak
Hill in Clay County
around 7:30 last night. Baber had been stopped for wreckless driving
in a stolen vehicle. State Police
superintendent Colonel Jay Smithers told reporters what happened.
“Upon searching Mr. Baber troopers determined he was under
the influence of intoxicants and placed Mr. Baber under arrest. Once arrested, Mr. Baber was seated in the
back seat of our cruiser for transport. At this time he accessed a nine mm pistol that he had hidden on his
person and shot both Corporal Bailey and Trooper Workman."
Trooper Workman
was shot in the head and remains in a coma at a Charleston
hospital. Bailey had been a trooper
since 1995. Workman joined the force in
January 2011.
Colonel Smithers says Baber was
able to access his weapon because he had been handcuffed with his hands in
front of him and during the search, the troopers missed finding it.
A tow truck driver who answered the call to
tow the vehicle was also shot. William
Massey was able to get away from the scene and call for further
assistance. He was released from a Charleston
hospital early this morning.
Roane
County Deputy sheriff John Westfall found Baber in a wooded area near by and
was shot. A number of officiers from Clay
and Roane County
were engaged in gunfire. Baber was shot
numerous times.