MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan Harmon says his daughter Carrie Harmon is an adult and she’ll have to pay adult consequences for her actions.
Harmon posted a statement on his Facebook page after learning from his deputies that they had charged his daughter with malicious assault and conspiracy following a July 11 bar fight.
Carrie Harmon, 23, was one of three women charged. The fight took place at Bad Habits Bar & Grill.
Sheriff Harmon said the first words out of his mouth after learning of the investigation were “I want ZERO outside influences in this investigation, leave the Deputies to do their jobs and this gets treated like any other investigation.”
Harmon said his deputies did thorough work on the case. He said he was informed that a warrant was issued for his daughter’s arrest on Monday. She turned herself in Monday evening. She’s being held in the Eastern Regional Jail on $65,000 bail.
Reports indicate the alleged victim in the bar fight, Malena Rutherford, initially said she didn’t want to pursue charges against the three women, including Harmon, but she called the sheriff’s department the next day and said she did.
Rutherford told deputies she was the victim of a “beat down.”
Video reviewed by deputies shows a woman identified as Harmon punching Rutherford several times and later getting on top of her on the floor and punching her several more times. Harmon allegedly stomped Rutherford with one of her legs as someone was pulling her off Rutherford.
In his Facebook statement, Sheriff Harmon said he and his wife have tried to do their best to teach their kids the difference between right and wrong and “after they turn of adult age you pray to God nearly every day that your kids abide and walk the straight and narrow path. Unfortunately, as many parents can attest, it doesn’t always work that way. My daughter made her own choices and also chose a circle of friends that do not make good choices either. She is an adult and her actions will be subject to adult rules and she will pay adult consequences. I truly hope and pray she learns from this and comes full circle away from bad influences. We also pray for the victim and her family as this is an extremely sad situation that the victim should not have endured.”
A preliminary hearing will now be scheduled for Carrie Harmon.
A special prosecutor was appointed earlier this year after Carrie Harmon wrecked her car on Cemetery Road outside of Martinsburg on Jan. 6.
There were no charges filed.
Sheriff Nathan Harmon’s full Facebook statement:
I want to ensure the public that when it comes to committing criminal offenses, it DOESN’T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, my Deputies will do their jobs WITHOUT worrying of influences WITHOUT interference, and WITHOUT politics. It was reported to me last week that my daughter was under investigation for a fight she was involved in after the victim reported the assault.
The very first words out of my mouth was “I want ZERO outside influences in this investigation, leave the Deputies to do their jobs and this gets treated like any other investigation”. I am very proud of the thourough work they did as I was informed today that a warrant was issued for her arrest and she subsequently turned herself into the Deputies this evening without incident.
As with all families, my wife and I can say we’ve tried to do our best to teach our kids the difference of right and wrong and after they turn of adult age you pray to God nearly every day that your kids abide and walk the straight and narrow path. Unfortunately, as many parents can attest, it doesn’t always work that way. My daughter made her own choices and also chose a circle of friends that do not make good choices either. She is an adult and her actions will be subject to adult rules and she will pay adult consequences. I truly hope and pray she learns from this and comes full circle away from bad influences. We also pray for the victim and her family as this is an extremely sad situation that the victim should not have endured.