By RACHEL C. DOVE
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSON - An arraignment hearing was held in Mingo County Circuit Court on Monday for Gary D. Goff II, 33, of Pinsonfork, Ky., was who arrested Saturday morning by the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) and the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) on charges of sexual assault in the 1st degree, kidnapping, DUI, fleeing DUI and two counts each of battery on an officer and obstructing an officer.
Mingo County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Marcum appeared for the state during Monday’s proceedings and Attorney Joshua Ferrell represented the defendant. The honorable Circuit Court Judge Michael Thornsbury presided over the hearing.
Goff had originally been arraigned before Magistrate Dallas Toler Saturday morning and was issued a $250,000 cash bond for all charges brought against him with the exception of the capital offense of kidnapping, which had to be heard by Judge Thornsbury, The circuit judge set a $250,000 property bond on the federal charge with stipulations of home confinement should he be successful in posting bail. The cash bond ordered by Toler still remains in place, making the total amount half a million dollars.
The arrest stemmed from a frantic call placed to Mingo County 911 in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, June 9, from Armory Drive in W. Williamson. The female caller was heard screaming for help, allegedly saying she had been raped.
MCSD Deputy M.J. Miller was the first to respond and stated he observed Goff running toward his vehicle which he then used to try to ram the police cruiser and flee the scene. After several tense moments of Goff reportedly refusing to comply with demands to exit the GMC Sierra pickup, Miller, along with WVSP Trooper J.D. Matheny, successfully restrained and handcuffed the defendant but not without difficulty due to Goff’s alleged irate and confrontational behavior.
The victim was found at the scene wearing only a t-shirt, nude from the waist down, and was reported to have been emotionally distraught. She relayed to law enforcement that Goff had refused to let her out of the vehicle before he drove to a grassy area on the edge of Tug River near the flood wall on Armory Drive, where the sexual assault is said to have occurred.
The criminal complaint stated that both victim and defendant were transported to the Williamson Memorial Hospital (WMH). Goff agreed to blood alcohol testing which produced results of .119 and is said to have admitted to consuming alcohol at Dandy’s Nightclub on Court Street in Williamson where he met the victim.
According to the arrest report, Miller questioned the defendant and asked if he had sex with the victim, to which Goff allegedly answered “yes”.
The victim was treated in the emergency room of the WMH and was not able to complete her interview with the police at that time due to her emotional state of mind.
MCSD Deputy M. Leandaro and WVSP Trooper D. Contose also assisted with the arrest.
Goff was remanded to the custody of the Southwestern Regional Jail at Holden following the arraignment until such time bond conditions are met. No dates have yet been set for any future court hearings.
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