CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Charges against a West Virginia man accused of assaulting a pregnant woman and injecting her with methamphetamine without her consent have been dropped after she did not attend a hearing.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the victim didn’t attend Thursday’s preliminary hearing, leading the magistrate to approve a defense attorney’s motion to dismiss the felony malicious wounding charge against 21-year-old Kyle Wilson Stowers.
The criminal complaint says Stowers’ girlfriend was 37 weeks pregnant Dec. 21 when, she told police, he “left her for dead” at a Charleston home.
Kanawha County assistant prosecutor Deborah Rusnak contended defense attorney Richard Holicker told the victim not to attend, as it would be too emotional. Holicker denied saying that.
Rusnak says she’ll seek to have the case presented to a grand jury.
Stowers was released from jail Thursday evening.
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Information from: The Charleston Gazette-Mail, http://wvgazettemail.com.
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