KINGWOOD — A man accused of a fatal shooting Sunday in Preston County surrendered at the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department Monday.
Aaron Glenn Hoard, 33, of Morgantown, accompanied by his attorney, Belinda Haynie, went into the sheriff’s office about 1:30 p.m. He was arraigned by Monongalia County Magistrate Jim Nabors on a charge of second-degree murder.
Hoard pleaded not guilty. No bond was set, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for later this month.
According to Preston deputies, Hoard shot and killed Grant Felton, 38, of Terra Alta, on Sunday outside Shorthorns Saloon in Terra Alta. The incident was reported about 1 a.m.
“Preliminary investigation [shows] they had been asked to leave the bar. They were trying to get them to leave the bar, him and some people who were with him,” Preston Chief Deputy P.A. Pritt said Monday of Hoard and others with him.
According to the criminal complaint by Preston Sheriff’s Lt. J.G. Rodeheaver, Hoard was removed from the business by staff. He “retrieved a handgun from a nearby parked vehicle and fired a number of rounds into the air. Grant Felton, the victim, attempted to subdue the defendant and was shot numerous times by the defendant,” Rodeheaver said.
Hoard fled the scene after the shooting, and police put out an alert that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
No charges were filed at this time against Machaela J. Jeffries, who police believed may have been helping Hoard evade capture. Police had initially thought the couple’s 1-year-old child could be with them, but no information on that was available Monday.
Charges of obstructing an officer and assault on an officer were filed Sunday against Brian Stanley Teets, 41, of Terra Alta, in connection with the shooting. He was freed on $10,000 bond.
According to a criminal complaint for Teets, he argued with West Virginia Natural Resources Officer D. Wolfe, shoved Wolfe’s arms and refused to cooperate.
Several witnesses said Teets knew the shooter; Teets “refused to give the name and at times said he didn’t know the guy,” but referred to Hoard as his “buddy.” Teets’ girlfriend told police he didn’t want to get anyone into trouble, according to the complaint, but that he knew Hoard and they had been to his home in the past.
Pritt said officers recovered a pistol they believe was used in the shootings. To his knowledge, no one else was injured in the incident, Pritt said.
“We’ve still got a lot of witnesses to interview,” he noted.
Felton was an employee of Preston Contractors. Dave Price of Terra Alta said his family had known Felton for years.
“He was as polite and kind as anybody I know,” Price said Monday.
Reporter Will Dean contributed to this report.
TWEET @DominionPostWV
