Corporal B. K. Shingleton of the Sutton Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and Deputies from the Braxton County Sheriff’s Department were summoned to a Centralia Road residence on April 17 to investigate a reported domestic dispute. Upon approaching the residence, they were met by a female fleeing the home in tears.
The female told officers that Mark Ryan James, 48, with whom she had a relationship, was inside the home pouring gasoline everywhere to set the house on fire.
When officers approached the house, they were meet by James exiting the structure with a cordless power drill in his hand.
During the subsequent investigation James told officers that he and the female got into a verbal altercation over the electric bill which became physical.
The victim stated that James began pouring the accelerant throughout the interior of the home and told her “Neither of us are going anywhere! We’re both going to die!” After dousing the interior of the home with gasoline, James began to use the drill to screw the doors shut in order to hold the female hostage for the intent to cause her bodily harm by setting the house on fire. Before James was able to succeed the female fled and was met in the yard by officers as they arrived on scene.
James admitted to officer that his disagreements with the female had become physical on other occasions. The victim showed investigators proof of the bodily injuries James had inflicted, including bruising from him attempting to sexually abuse her without her consent.
James was arrested and charged with attempted arson, kidnapping, sexual abuse in the first degree, domestic battery and domestic assault.
James was arraigned before Braxton County Magistrate Gail Roush where his bond was set at $110,000 cash only. He was remanded to the Central Regional Jail to await future court appearances. He remains incarcerated at the CRJ at press-time.
