A West Virginia man has been charged with attempted murder after police say he tried to force his way into a bedroom where his wife was hiding — allegedly using an axe, kicking at the door, and firing multiple rounds through it.
Officers were called to a home in the 700 block of Kanawha Avenue South in Nitro shortly after 4 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2, after a woman told dispatch that her husband — identified as 77-year-old Warren Crowder — was trying to break down the bedroom door with an axe.
She also reported that she smelled smoke and believed he was attempting to intentionally start a fire inside the home.
When police arrived, officers said they could see the woman through a bedroom window as she hid inside, while Crowder was allegedly “attempting to kick in the bedroom door.”
Authorities say Crowder refused to open the door for officers, leading police to force their way into the residence.
Police allege that during the confrontation, Crowder admitted he fired a .357 Magnum multiple times through the bedroom door to gain entry to the room where his wife was sheltering. Investigators reported seeing multiple bullets lodged in the door.
Officers also said they found shrapnel inside the bedroom and near the doorway, along with six .357 Magnum rounds and four bullet holes in the door.
During an interview with police, Crowder allegedly admitted he shot into the door because he was angry — and that he knew his wife was positioned only a few feet in front of it, lying on a bed.
Crowder was arrested Feb. 2 and remains held at South Central Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond. He is also charged with four counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm in connection with the incident.
A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 11. A defense attorney could not be reached for comment.
