Area man arrested at W.Va. hotel for domestic assault

A Buena Vista man was arrested after police responded to a violent domestic assault at a Monongalia County, W.Va., hotel room.

Landin Shaffer, 19, of the Elizabeth Township neighborhood, is charged with one count of malicious assault and one count of strangulation after the alleged incident at the Sonesta Hotel in Morgantown, according to local police.

According to WDTV, after receiving a 911 call from the front desk clerk, police responded to the hotel and heard screaming and yelling from inside one of the rooms.

Shaffer’s girlfriend allegedly came out of the room and fell to the floor, with Shaffer following behind, court documents say. Police noticed blood on both of them and a bathroom door with a hole in it.

While waiting for EMS to arrive, WDTV reported police spoke with the girlfriend, who stated that Shaffer bit her on the nose, hit her on the head, pulled her hair and choked her multiple times until she lost consciousness.

According to court documents and WDTV, the victim was transported to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.

Police continued to interview guests in neighboring rooms who called down to the front desk because multiple witnesses allegedly heard the victim screaming and banging around as if the victim was being thrown into the walls, according to WDTV.

Police also spoke to the front desk clerk, who said when she went to check on the disturbance, she said she saw Shaffer come into the hallway with blood on his shirt. She said the victim also came out, but Shaffer made her go back inside, which is when she decided to go call 911.

After Shaffer was detained, he claimed he did push the victim away due to her biting his fingers, but then he refused medical care, police said.

Police were able to search the room after detaining Shaffer and found broken off fake nails, a ball of hair near the main entrance, blood stains on sheets, more locations with blood, a giant hole in the bathroom door, a hole in a wall, hair in the bathroom, blood on the toilet and a broken cabinet door on the sink island.

Shaffer is currently in the North Central Regional Jail in Greenwood, Doddridge County, W. Va. with a bond set at $100,000.