WV Repossessor Wounded In 40 Round Shooting Attack
PRINCETON, W.Va. (WVVA) – A shooting Tuesday night on Beckley Road near Princeton has left one man in critical but stable condition and another man behind bars after an attempted vehicle repossession.
Mercer County Sheriff’s Office Lt. S.A. Sommers said Terry A. Joy, 23, of Kegley has been charged with wanton endangerment and malicious wounding in connection with the shooting.
According to the criminal complaint, multiple gunshots were heard just before 9 p.m. in the Black Oak area of Beckley Road shortly after a representative of F5 Investigations called Mercer County Emergency Dispatch to inform them of a repossession of a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado in Kegley, and that the owner of the truck was unaware of the repossession.
The repossession worker found the truck near Joy’s residence with the keys in it and drove away toward Princeton, with a co-worker following in a white SUV, the complaint said.
Joy, who was in Princeton at the time, was called by a family member who told him a man had been seen walking around his house, prompting him to return home. On the way back he received another call saying his truck had been taken.
According to the complaint, Joy saw his truck and turned into the other lane, stopping the repossessed truck. Joy said in the complaint he approached his truck with hands up and asked the driver what he was doing.
At that point, the repossessed truck took off, and then, the complaint said, Joy discharged a firearm at the truck about 13 times.
Joy said in the complaint that he then jumped into the truck he had been driving and pursued his repossessed truck, which turned into the parking of Liquors & More in Princeton, at which time about 27 more rounds were discharged at the vehicle. The white SUV that had been following the repossessed truck stopped, pulled the victim from the repossessed truck and transported him to Princeton Community Hospital. The victim was later transported to a Roanoke hospital.
Joy took possession of the Silverado and drove it back to his residence.
Sgt. M.S. Horn investigated and, the criminal complaint says, observed multiple bullet holes in Joy’s truck, including the back rear glass which was shot out. A 9 mm Glock and an extended magazine were recovered inside the residence and a magazine and 9 mm shell casing was recovered from inside the other truck Joy had been driving.
Joy is incarcerated at Southern Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash only bond.
