CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — The 28-year-old driver in a moving shootout with police will spend the rest of his 20s and his 30s behind bars in West Virginia.
Wilber Alexander Chicas awaits his sentencing Tuesday in Harrison County Circuit Court.
Harrison County Chief Judge Christopher J. McCarthy sentenced Wilber Alexander Chicas to one to five years for fleeing with reckless indifference; three to 15 years for attempted murder; and a total of 35 years for seven counts of wanton endangerment.
Wilber Alexander Chicas leaves court after receiving a lengthy prison term.
Unable to post bond, Chicas has already served a year and a month. He will have to serve over 11 1/2 more years before becoming eligible for parole on the Harrison County convictions.
Chicas is still awaiting prosecution on Marion County charges from the shootout, which began in Clarksburg, went through Bridgeport and ended with the arrest of three suspects in White Hall.
“This is something that isn’t seen in our county,” Harrison Prosecutor Rachel Romano told the court. “And it’s something I hope we never see again in our county. ... The fact that no lives were lost was just by the grace of God.”
McCarthy agreed, opting for the maximum possible sentence that had been suggested by Romano.
“You and your associates brought a moving gunfight to the streets of Clarksburg and Bridgeport,” McCarthy said.
Chief Judge Christopher J. McCarthy imposed a long prison term Tuesday on a defendant in a moving shootout.
Homes, police cruisers and vehicles were struck with rounds fired from the defendants’ vehicle, McCarthy said. That included one vehicle that had a 2-year-old child in it, he said. Bullets flew, with people nearby in vehicles, on sidewalks, in homes and in their yards, the judge said.
“It’s a miracle no one was hurt or killed, especially law enforcement as closely as they were following your vehicle and were consistently being shot at,” McCarthy said.
Defense attorney Ryan Shreve had requested a prison term that would have required Chicas to serve just over five years before becoming parole eligible.
The man identified as the primary gunman, Luis Manuel Lebron, 27, pleaded guilty to eight felony charges last week. If he gets the maximum when he’s sentenced later this year, Lebron would have to serve at least 15 years in custody in West Virginia before becoming parole eligible.
The third defendant, Jeroenne Carballo Santiago, could face the same sentence as Chicas if he receives the maximum.
State and local law enforcement from throughout Harrison and Marion counties responded to the May 26, 2022, shootout/pursuit.
Clarksburg Police Sgt. Justin Moore was responding to a shoplifting complaint when he was fired upon during the pursuit.
The pursuit began with Clarksburg Patrol Sgt. Justin Moore answering a shoplifting call at the Emily Drive Walmart and then getting shot at, according to the state. The pursuit then went on Emily Drive and through parts of Bridgeport before moving to Emily Drive, with Carballo Santiago saying the men had thrown tools and construction materials out the window as they ran.
The pursuit ended on Interstate 79 southbound near White Hall. The suspects tried to set the van on fire, then briefly fled on foot, according to law enforcement. Lebron was initially hospitalized after being shot.
Gunfire also came close to striking Bridgeport Patrol Officer Austin Ash, and former Harrison County law enforcement officer William “Jody” Cunningham, the state has alleged.
Bridgeport Detective Lt. Gary Weaver led the investigation.
The lead investigator is Bridgeport Detective Lt. Gary Weaver.
Lebron and Carballo Santiago also are facing charges in Marion County.
Tina Yoke on her job as executive director of the Clarksburg Visitors Bureau: “I want there to be more places to shop and to eat and look forward to coming to Clarksburg.”
WinterFest was the first event Tina Yoke coordinated in her new position as executive director at the Clarksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center, along with the beauty and history of Clarksburg, have drawn people from all over the world to experience downtown, Tina Yoke says.
The Clarksburg Visitors Bureau, under the leadership of Tina Yoke, helps direct people who are visiting West Virginia to local attractions.
CLARKSBURG W.Va. (WV News) — Tina Yoke navigated unfamiliar territory when she changed career paths amid COVID-19.
In December of 2020, she took the role of executive director at the Clarksburg Visitors Bureau.
Yoke said she fondly recalls visiting the city’s downtown when she was a child.
“I remember coming to town with my grandmother and parents to shop at our local businesses and to eat lunch and share a table with somebody at Parsons-Souders,” she said. “I want there to be more places to shop and to eat and look forward to coming to Clarksburg.”
Before taking her position at the Clarksburg Visitors Bureau, Yoke worked for two local nonprofits: HOPE Inc., A Task Force on Domestic Violence, and the United Way of Harrison County. As United Way executive director, she was tasked with reaching yearly campaign goals to fund 20 agencies across the county.
After gaining experience with those nonprofits, Yoke said she was ready to change her career path.
“It was a totally new line of work for me,” she said. “Although I knew a lot about Clarksburg and I am very proud of our home, I had a lot to learn when it came to working a tourism industry.”
Yoke took time to learn more about her position by contacting the West Virginia Department of Tourism and other local convention and visitors bureaus to ask for advice.
“I spent a lot of time on the phone just talking to people and asking for advice. Listening to how they do their job in other parts of the state,” Yoke said.
The first event Yoke coordinated after taking her position was the Clarksburg WinterFest in December of 2021.
“I knew Clarksburg needed an activity in the wintertime to draw visitors to our area. And, I also knew in order to bring people to stay in our local hotels and motels, we needed at least a two-day event,” Yoke said. “It encourages people to come and stay in our hotels and experience the holiday season in Clarksburg.”
Yoke recalls that first WinterFest being a success.
“I heard comments from people who have lived here their entire lives and they said they haven’t seen so many people in downtown Clarksburg since the ’80s,” Yoke said.
This year, WinterFest will be held from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 1 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 2.
Visitors from all over the world come to downtown Clarksburg to experience the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center, events held at the Clarksburg Amphitheater and to see the history and beauty of downtown, Yoke said.
“I’ve had visitors from China, Alaska, Iowa, several visitors from California, Idaho, Cincinnati. They have heard how beautiful our state is and wanted to stop by to see it for themselves. I had a person from upstate New York who came last week and I was telling him everything we have to offer, and he said that West Virginia has a lot more to offer than people led him to believe.”
Moving forward, Yoke wants to open a hotel in downtown.
“I get calls all the time from people who want to go to the Robinson Grand or they want to go to concerts at the Amphitheater and they would really like to have a hotel closer to those events. We have people who want to stay closer to the rails/trails,” Yoke said. “I really think having a hotel in downtown Clarksburg would be a game changer for our community.”
Food has also been a driving factor that brings people to the downtown area.
“You can’t beat our Italian food,” Yoke said. “And the fact that we have amazing bakeries for the pepperoni rolls. Many people are intrigued about the story of the pepperoni roll and how it came to be and that you can go and get one fresh out of the oven.”
Looking back on her career at the Visitors Bureau thus far and recounting having to navigate the city of Clarksburg and its people through COVID, Yoke said, “I think people needed to be out and they needed to be around other people. There is a lot to be said about out mental health during COVID, and they just have a yearning to make a connection with other humans. Anybody who provides any kind of festivals or opportunities for people to come together, is just a great thing and very much needed.”
Yoke hopes to make people “feel excited to come to downtown Clarksburg again.”
President Joe Biden talks with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., as he arrives at San Francisco International Airport for the APEC summit, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in San Francisco.
President Joe Biden arrives at San Francisco International Airport for the APEC summit, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in San Francisco.
With American and Chinese flags flying, people watch as the motorcade carrying President Joe Biden drives past Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in San Francisco.
WOODSIDE, Calif. — U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping emerged Wednesday from their first face-to-face meeting in a year vowing to stabilize their fraught relationship and showcasing modest agreements to combat illegal fentanyl and re-establish military communications. But there were still deep differences on economic competition and global security threats.
The most assuring takeaway from the meeting for Biden was that if either man had a concern, “we should pick up the phone and call one another and we’ll take the call. That’s important progress,” he said in a news conference following the talks.
The two leaders spent four hours together at a bucolic Northern California estate — in meetings, a working lunch and a garden stroll — intent on showing the world that while they are global economic competitors, they’re not locked in a winner-take-all faceoff.
“Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed,” Xi told Biden.
The U.S. president told Xi: “I think it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader-to-leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunications. We have to ensure competition does not veer into conflict.”
Their meeting, on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, has far-reaching implications for a world grappling with economic cross currents, conflicts in the Mideast and Europe, tensions in Taiwan and more.
They reached expected agreements to curb illicit fentanyl production and to reopen military ties, Biden said. Many of the chemicals used to make synthetic fentanyl come from China to cartels that traffic the powerful narcotic into the U.S., which is facing an overdose crisis.
Top military leaders will resume talks, Biden said, an increasingly important move particularly as unsafe or unprofessional incidents between the two nations’ ships and aircraft have spiked.
Ultimately, the agreements rely on trust between the two leaders.
“I know the man I know his modus operandi,” Biden said of Xi. “We have disagreements but he’s been straight.”
But he still said Xi was a dictator ... “in a sense.”
The two leaders had a significant back and forth over Taiwan, with Biden chiding China over its massive military build-up around Taiwan and Xi telling Biden he had no plans to invade the island, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail the private talks.
Biden, the official said, declared the U.S. was committed to continuing to help Taiwan defend itself and maintain deterrence against a potential Chinese attack, and also called on China to avoid meddling in the island’s elections next year. The official described the Taiwan portion of the talks as “clear-headed” and “not heated.”
Biden also called on Xi to use his influence with Iran to make clear that Tehran, and its proxies, should not take steps that would lead to an expansion of the Israel-Hamas war. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has assured the U.S. that the Chinese have communicated concerns to Iran on the matter. But the official said the U.S. has not been able to ascertain how seriously the Iranians are taking concerns raised by Beijing.
According to a statement released by China Central Television, the state broadcaster, Xi was most focused on Taiwan and the U.S. sanctions and restrictions against Chinese products and businesses.
Xi urged the U.S. to support China’s peaceful unification with the self-governed island, calling Taiwan “the most important and most sensitive issue” in the bilateral relations. He also raised Beijing’s concerns over export controls, investment screenings, and sanctions imposed by the U.S., which he said “have severely harmed China’s legitimate interests.”
He said, “We hope the U.S. side can seriously treat China’s concerns and take actions to remove unilateral sanctions and provide a fair, just, non-discriminatory environment for Chinese businesses.”
Xi said he and Biden also agreed to establish dialogues on artificial intelligence and stressed the urgency for the two countries to cope with the climate crisis, the state broadcaster reported.
Both leaders acknowledged the importance of their relationship and the need for better coordination. But their differences shone through: Xi indicated he wants better cooperation — but on China’s terms. And he sought to project strength to his domestic audience in the face of U.S. policies restricting imports from China and limiting technology transfers to Beijing.
Biden, meanwhile, will also spend time this week in California working to highlight new alliances in the Indo Pacific and efforts to boost trade with other regional leaders.
They sought to build back to a stable baseline after already tense relations took a nosedive following the U.S. downing of a Chinese spy balloon that had traversed the continental U.S., and amid differences over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, China’s hacking of a Biden official’s emails and other matters.
For Biden, Wednesday’s meeting was a chance for the president to do what he believes he does best: in-person diplomacy.
“As always, there’s no substitute for face-to-face discussions,” he told Xi. With his characteristic optimism, Biden sketched a vision of leaders who manage competition “responsibly,” adding, “that’s what the United States wants and what we intend to do.”
Xi, for his part, was gloomy about the state of the post-pandemic global economy. China’s economy remains in the doldrums, with prices falling due to slack demand from consumers and businesses.
“The global economy is recovering, but its momentum remains sluggish,” Xi said. “Industrial and supply chains are still under the threat of interruption and protectionism is rising. All these are grave problems.”
Biden and Xi held their talks at Filoli Estate, a country house and museum about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Francisco. The event was carefully staged, Biden first to arrive at the grand estate.
After a handshake and smiles, the presidents and their respective aides on trade, the economy, national security and regional diplomacy gathered across from one another at a single long table, the culmination of negotiations between the two leaders’ top aides over the past several months. It was Biden and Xi’s first conversation of any kind since they met last November in Bali.
Next came a working lunch with inner-circle members from both administrations. They ate ravioli, chicken and broccolini, with almond meringue cake and praline buttercream for dessert.
Before they parted, the two strolled the property along a red brick path through impressive topiary and knotted gothic trees. Asked by reporters how the meeting went, the president said “well” and flashed a thumbs up.
There were light moments between the two leaders who have logged much time together over the last decade. Biden asked Xi to extend his early birthday wishes to Xi’s wife, who will be celebrating next week. Xi thanked the president for reminding him. The Chinese leader said that he’s been so busy working he had forgotten the big day was nearing.
The relationship between China and the U.S. has never been smooth, Xi said. Still, it has kept moving forward. “For two large countries like China and the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option,” he said.
More pointedly, Xi also suggested it was not up to the U.S. to dictate how the Chinese manage their affairs, saying, “It is unrealistic for one side to remodel the other, and conflict and confrontation has unbearable consequences for both sides.”
Robert Moritz, global chairman for the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, said business leaders are hoping for signs of more cooperation and a firmer commitment to free trade between the world’s two largest economies following the Biden-Xi talks.
“What we are looking for is a de-escalation and a bringing of the temperature down,” Mortiz said during a CEO summit being held in conjunction with the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that has brought together leaders from 21 member economies.
“Discussion isn’t good enough, it’s the execution on getting things done” that will matter, he said.
The Biden-Xi meeting and broader summit events attracted protests around San Francisco, but the demonstrations were kept at distance. A large crowd loudly condemning Xi marched from the Chinese Consulate toward the summit venue at the Moscone Center nearly two miles away. Speakers implored the Biden administration to stand up to Xi and China’s human rights violations.
Late Wednesday, Xi was to address American business executives at a $2,000-per-plate dinner that will be a rare opportunity for U.S. business leaders to hear directly from the Chinese leader as they seek clarification on Beijing’s expanding security rules that may choke foreign investment.
Michael Caruso, pictured at an August legislative interim committee meeting, reiterated Wednesday that, "Safeguarding and advancing patient safety is DHHR’s top priority."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — A state official has reaffirmed his agency’s commitment to patients at William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital in Lewis County and outlined future action in response to “recent issues with contract staff violating policies” there.
Michael Caruso, incoming secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities, issued a statement Wednesday outlining the Department of Health and Human Resources’ next steps.
The agency will conduct an internal review and will meet with all vendors to reiterate hospital policies and standards, according to the statement.
The hospital will transition from phone interviews to virtual or in-person interviews for all contract nursing staff and will initiate a work environment assessment, the statement says.
All direct-access employees, independent contractors and volunteers at health care facilities are required to complete a comprehensive fingerprint-based federal and state background check through WV Clearance for Access: Registry & Employment Screening, according to the statement.
A contract nurse who had been working at Sharpe was arrested for an alleged incident not related to the hospital, according to a previous release from DHHR interim Secretary Dr. Sherri Young.
Young said last week that the nurse had undergone the background check prior to being cleared to work at Sharpe, and the screening revealed no cause for concern.
Caruso reiterated this while talking with state lawmakers during a legislative interim meeting earlier this week.
“We actually brought in an independent ombudsman to come in and take a review of that case and found that there were no findings,” Caruso said. “Everybody goes through a background check. There were no background issues with this individual. That was a nurse that actually was there for a while with no problem whatsoever.”
When a contract staff has (or is suspected to have) committed an abusive or neglectful act, William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital immediately notifies the vendor that the individual cannot return to the facility unless the allegations are not substantiated, according to Caruso’s Wednesday statement.
In addition, William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital alerts the appropriate authorities, participates in the investigative process, conducts internal investigations, and requests an independent investigation by independent advocates.
In this Feb. 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump walks past Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. on Capitol Hill in Washington following the president's address to a joint session of Congress.
WASHINGTON (WV News) — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is warning about the dire consequences of re-electing former President Donald Trump.
Manchin, during a wide-ranging press call Wednesday, said Trump will undermine the fabric of the American republic if he is given a second term.
“I think if Donald Trump is elected, he will destroy democracy in America,” the senator said.
Manchin
Manchin, who recently announced he doesn’t plan to seek re-election to the Senate in 2024, went on to sharply criticize Trump.
“You can’t have this visceral hatred spewing out every time you give a speech, denigrating Americans,” Manchin said. “The only good American is the one that likes and supports you; the only fair election is the one you win; laws pertain to everybody but you; and Jan. 6 was a walk-in-the-park visit to their favorite place, the United States Capitol. This is crazy stuff.”
Democrats bear at least partial responsibility for Trump’s election in 2016, Manchin said.
“I’ve told Democrats. I’ve said, ‘Why are you upset with Donald Trump? You should be upset with yourself, to have the most flawed human being to be able to be accepted by how many millions of people to be president,’” Manchin said. “Something is wrong with you all — don’t blame him.”
Trump “shook up” the political establishment during his first term, Manchin said.
“He shook it up before,” the senator said. “I guarantee [if] he comes back, he’ll break it now. Because now he knows enough of what he needs to do to get everything he wants.”
The former president has already been discussing what he will do if re-elected, Manchin said.
“When he says, ‘I’m going to use that to go after my detractors, I’m going to go after my accusers,’” Manchin said. “You can’t say that you’re going to take the most powerful office in the world and use it for vengeful purposes.”
First elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, Manchin served as governor from 2005 to 2010 and as West Virginia Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005.
Although Manchin has been linked to a potential third-party presidential run under the No Labels banner, he has yet to commit to specific plans for the next phase of his career.
For now, Manchin said he will “go around” gauging support from those who are in the “radical middle” of the political spectrum.
“It’s going to be everything from A to Z and all the soup nuts in between,” he said. “Anything and everything I can do to get audiences.”
In a video announcing his plan to not seek re-election posted to social media last week, Manchin said he plans to see if “there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.”
No Labels issued a statement shortly after Manchin’s announcement saying it is “gathering input” ahead of an announcement expected next year.
“As we have said from the beginning, we will make a decision by early 2024 about whether we will nominate a Unity presidential ticket and who will be on it,” the statement read.
President Joe Biden greets China’s President Xi Jinping at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, Calif., Wednesday.
FILE - Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks during a news conference Sept. 20, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington. Manchin announced he won't seek reelection in 2024, giving Republicans a prime opportunity to gain a seat in the heavily GOP state.
