A Clarksburg man was arrested on Friday after allegedly firing shots in the air outside of a bar and having cocaine on him.
Alante Maratell Nelson, 28, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and prohibited person in possession of a firearm by the Morgantown Police Department.
Additional charges are pending, Morgantown Communications Director Andrew Stacy said.
At about 3:15 a.m. on Friday, officers went to 4th and Goal on Walnut Street for a shots fired called, according to a criminal complaint.
Officers were told a Black man wearing a tan shirt fired multiple rounds from a handgun into the air.
Stacy said the gun was fired outside and no one was injured. Two shell casings were recovered, but it’s not clear how many shots were fired.
Officers found a Black man wearing a tan shirt, later identified as Nelson, walking on Wall Street near Vice Versa, who “quickly” went in the opposite direction when approached.
He was detained near the intersection with High Street, the complaint said.
When officers tried to search the suspect, he was “incredibly belligerent,” screaming, cursing and physically pulling away, the complaint said.
Officers found 12.4 grams of cocaine, $2,980 in cash and a .380 LCP pistol in Nelson’s pockets, according to the complaint. The magazine was empty and there was one round in the pistol’s chamber.
Nelson has felony convictions for selling narcotics and is unable to have a firearm, the complaint said.
Nelson is free on $65,000 bond.
