CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County man arrested after a violent crime spree earlier this month that included the murder of an elderly woman and an attack on a Charleston police officer was indicted Friday on 10 criminal counts.
Kanawha County prosecutors decided to bypass a preliminary hearing for Joshua Andrew Drennen, 27, of Clendenin, and instead took the case straight to a grand jury which met this week in Charleston. The indictments were handed up Friday afternoon.
The panel indicted him on counts of murder, attempted murder, malicious assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of assault during the commission of a crime, attempted first-degree robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, malicious wounding, first-degree robbery, and petit larceny.
Drennen was released from CAMC General Feb. 20 after being hospitalized since Feb. 11. He was shot twice by CPD Patrolman Terrence “Austin” Casto during the string of incidents.
The shooting came after Drennen allegedly murdered Barbara Steele, 77, in her West Side home and then allegedly carjacked a vehicle at the nearby Walgreens parking lot. Police said he then attempted another carjacking before encountering Casto near the Go-Mart near the Washington Street exit of Interstate 64.
Casto fired two shots at Drennen after Drennen attacked him with an antique flat iron, according to investigators.
READ: The full criminal complaint against Drennen
He has been held without bail in the South Central Regional Jail in connection with the murder charge.
Drennen will be arraigned in the near future by a Kanawha County circuit judge and a trial date scheduled.