CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Pocahontas County Sheriff Robert Alkire's son was taken to the hospital after a Nov. 30 incident where the sheriff's deputy fired his department-issue pistol at his girlfriend's house.

Robert Alkire II got into a verbal altercation with his girlfriend Jennifer Miller at her Marlinton home that spilled out into the street, said Special Prosecutor Dan Dotson, who is handling the case.

It was in the street that Alkire fired his department-issued weapon, Dotson said.

Dotson said Robert Alkire II was charged Jan. 25 with one count of wanton endangerment for the incident. Bail was set at $3,000.

"It was not fired at anybody in a malicious manner," Dotson said.

Alkire then went into Miller's house, Dotson said.

Police were called and Sheriff Robert Alkire arrived on the scene, he said.

Sheriff Alkire did not return a phone call Thursday regarding this story.

"The sheriff responded to the scene in Marlinton. At that point in time [Robert Alkire II] was in a medical situation," Dotson said. "The sheriff and a deputy came to transport him to a medical facility. They were unsuccessful."

The sheriff couldn't get his son to go to the hospital, Dotson said. Dotson declined to specify the "medical situation."

Emergency workers arrived on the scene and were able to transport Alkire to Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, Dotson said. Alkire II was placed on administrative leave immediately, he said.

Sheriff Alkire then talked to Marlinton Police Chief Everette Tinney and prosecutor Walt Weiford and told them what happened and that he couldn't be involved anymore, Dotson said.

Robert Alkire II got into a verbal altercation with his girlfriend Jennifer Miller at her Marlinton home that spilled out into the street, said Special Prosecutor Dan Dotson, who is handling the case.

It was in the street that Alkire fired his department-issued weapon, Dotson said.

Dotson said Robert Alkire II was charged Jan. 25 with one count of wanton endangerment for the incident. Bail was set at $3,000.

"It was not fired at anybody in a malicious manner," Dotson said.

Alkire then went into Miller's house, Dotson said.

Police were called and Sheriff Robert Alkire arrived on the scene, he said.

Sheriff Alkire did not return a phone call Thursday regarding this story.

"The sheriff responded to the scene in Marlinton. At that point in time [Robert Alkire II] was in a medical situation," Dotson said. "The sheriff and a deputy came to transport him to a medical facility. They were unsuccessful."

The sheriff couldn't get his son to go to the hospital, Dotson said. Dotson declined to specify the "medical situation."

Emergency workers arrived on the scene and were able to transport Alkire to Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, Dotson said. Alkire II was placed on administrative leave immediately, he said.

Sheriff Alkire then talked to Marlinton Police Chief Everette Tinney and prosecutor Walt Weiford and told them what happened and that he couldn't be involved anymore, Dotson said.

"The sheriff placed him on administrative leave, then talked to the city police chief and he provided him with more specific information as to what occurred. And then he talked to the prosecutor and said, 'Hey, I can't have anything to do with this. Someone else needs to come in and look at it.'"

State Police were brought in to investigate, and Weiford requested a special prosecutor. Doston, a Braxton County assistant prosecutor, was assigned to the case.

Weiford said previously that he asked for a special prosecutor after learning that West Virginia State Police wanted to interview him about the incident.

State Police Trooper K.W. Huddleston was assigned to investigate, Dotson said.

"The police work has been excellent," Dotson said. "This was a top notch investigation. No stone was left unturned."

Sheriff Alkire was interviewed for about 90 minutes by Huddleston about his role in the incident, Dotson said.

"He did, of course, play a dual role. He handled it both as a father and a sheriff and he handled them both correctly," Dotson said. "If we thought there was any type of coverup, charges would be brought."

Robert Alkire II, "handled his department issue pistol in an unsafe manner and fired [it] in such a manner that it created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another," according to the criminal complaint filed in Pocahontas County Magistrate Court.

Other charges could be filed against Alkire II when the case is presented to a grand jury, Dotson said.

"We always start out with the bare necessities and if it has to go further in the process, we will look at other charges," he said.

To contact staff writer Gary Harki, use e-mail or call 348-5163.