On December 2, 2013 Sergeant J. Thaxton was patrolling the Sissonville area. He saw a driver of a Dodge pickup not wearing a seatbelt. Sergeant Thaxton stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Walter Hamrick (59 years of age of Sissonville). Mr. Hamrick had no valid driver’s license. His license was revoked almost 13 years ago for unpaid citations and other miscellaneous reasons. He was wearing a hunting vest and had a rifle in the passenger seat.
Sergeant Thaxton asked headquarters communication staff to run a criminal history on Mr. Hamrick to determine if he had previously been convicted of driving on a revoked license. That check revealed Mr. Hamrick was convicted of breaking and entering and grand larceny, both of which are felonies.
Despite the felony convictions, Mr. Hamrick had a valid hunting license. He had already killed a deer that day. The deer had been checked at a processing station and the antlers were in Mr. Hamrick’s vehicle.
Being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is a misdemeanor in this incident. Mr. Hamrick was charged with the violation. He was also charged with several traffic violations.
The vehicle was towed. The gun, hunting license, hunting vest, and the antlers were seized as evidence.
He was arraigned at Kanawha County Magistrate Court and released on a personal recognizance bond.
As is always the case in criminal matters, the charges against Mr. Hamrick are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Attached is the mug shot taken during today’s arrest.
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Corporal B. D. Humphreys
Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
301 Virginia Street East,
Charleston WV 25301
304-357-0732 / 304-951-7328
