MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Darrel Hetrick posed an immediate risk, according to Monongalia County Sheriff Al Kisner, and that is why deputies attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Hetrick on Saturday at 12:30 a.m.
Hetrick, 82, was shot and killed on Price Hill Road by deputies when he confronted the two Monongalia County officers with a handgun and threatened to kill them as they served the warrant.
According to Kisner, a protective order had been filed against Hetrick following a domestic incident involving his wife. One of the domestic situations ended with Mrs. Hetrick ending up in the hospital. She now resides in an assisted living home. Kisner said on WAJR-AM’s Morgantown AM Tuesday Hetrick had already taken her out of the assisted living home once before.
“We were lucky enough we were able to locate her very quickly. He had her back at his house,” explained Kisner.
Hetrick was arrested on domestic battery charges in 2015. In July, prosecutors asked that Hetrick’s probation be revoked.
Once the arrest warrant for violating the protective order was issued, Kisner said nobody wanted to take a chance on Hetrick possibly hurting his wife again. The Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office asked that Hetrick’s arrest be expedited.
“When this violation of protective order was obtained for him, there was concern that there was going to be another incident happen with his wife and if there was we would not be able to get there in time.”
Deputies tried to serve the warrant earlier in the day on Friday but Hetrick was not home at the time. Deputies returned early Saturday morning in hopes Hetric would be at his residence.
Kisner added that Hetrick was not supposed to be in possession of firearms. When the protective order was initially served, several firearms were removed from his home. How Hetrick obtained the handgun he threatened deputies with is part of the investigation.
Deputies stated Hetrick refused multiple orders to put down his gun and that he threatened to kill them as he raised it and pointed at one of the deputies.
The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department Detective Division is conducting an internal review of the case to determine if any policies or procedures were violated.