On Sunday, August 14, 2016, at around 1:15 p.m. Deputy S. A. Cowan was dispatched to take a missing person report along Kelly’s Creek, east of Charleston. While he was driving to the complainant’s residence another 911 call was placed reporting the location of a crashed all-terrain vehicle near Bufflick Bridge on Kelly’s Creek.
Deputy Cowan went to the crash first. The presumed missing person, David Wayne Darnell (39 years old of Mammoth, WV), was found at the scene of the ATV crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Darnell’s family had last seen him around 6:00 p.m. the day before when he left on his ATV after drinking alcoholic beverages. A fisherman found Mr. Darnell’s body and the crashed ATV Sunday afternoon and dialed 911.
No foul play is suspected.