Walden speaks out after arrest

Oct. 13—WILLIAMSBURG — The man running as a write-in candidate for Whitley County Sheriff is speaking out following his arrest Monday in connection to the discharge of a firearm at a local business.

James Bernard Walden, 54, of Williamsburg, was booked into the Whitley County Detention Center around 3:15 p.m. Monday after being taken into custody by Williamsburg Police Detective Lieutenant Bobby Freeman on one count of first-degree wanton endangerment.

According to WPD Public Affairs Officer Steven Hill, the department's involvement began with a dispatch to the parking lot of the Pilot Travel Center in Williamsburg, off Exit 11 of I-75. The initial call was for a verbal argument but officers were advised en route that a firearm had been discharged.

Upon arrival, officers encountered Brandon Copeland, 32, of Dunlap, Tennessee. According to Ofc. Hill, Copeland advised officers that he had been speaking with Walden's son when the elder man exited his vehicle with a weapon drawn and aimed at Copeland.

As Copeland attempted to flee, Hill continued, Walden fired in his direction.

Walden in turn told police that he recognized Copeland from a prior theft, according to Hill, so he exited the vehicle with the gun while giving Copeland verbal commands before discharging the weapon.

Ofc. Hill added that video pulled from Pilot was consistent with the statements of both parties regarding the incident.

Though Walden told officers that Copeland had a warrant in regard to the theft allegation, Ofc. Hill noted that Copeland didn't have an active warrant at the time of Monday's incident and therefore was not arrested at the scene.

For Walden, this indicates that the system is broken.

"They gave you half the story, honey," Walden said.

The candidate claims that Copeland broke into his fifth wheel camper at a repair shop last Friday night.

"He stole a bunch of stuff," Walden said, "including my .38 pistol."

Walden further claims Copeland was caught and detained by shop employees until authorities arrived but, because the items had been hidden, he was only charged with trespassing.

The Times-Tribune could confirm that Copeland was booked into the Whitley County Detention Center Saturday on a second-degree trespassing misdemeanor charge from the day prior but further details on that case weren't available at press time.

Fast forward to Monday, when Walden says he was at one gas pump while his son was at another.

"I look up and see he's approaching my son," Walden said, "and I see the bulge of my pistol in the jacket that he stole, which was my wife's. So I approached him with my pistol drawn and told him, 'There should be two felony warrants on you for burglary and theft of a firearm.'"

Walden then told his son to call 911 as he intended to hold Copeland until authorities arrived.

"He told me that he would shoot me with my pistol before he gave it back to me and took off running," Walden continued.

Walden further claims that neither he nor his son know Copeland and that he only recognized him as the alleged burglar because he was wearing his wife's coat that was stolen.

As he ran, Walden claims that Copeland threw the gun that he had in the weeds so that he was unarmed when officers arrived at the Pilot station.

"I found the gun [Tuesday] morning," Walden said, "and called the police and made them come down there and see the gun."

Ofc. Hill could confirm Wednesday that Walden had reached out to Williamsburg Police in regard to that gun but noted that it was not recovered by the department and that there had been no mention of Copeland having a gun on the day Walden's shot had been fired.

"We don't know where the gun comes into play," Ofc. Hill said.

Walden added that he intends to work with the Whitley County Sheriff's deputy that had responded to the Friday call to push through the two warrants he felt Copeland should have.

As for the candidate himself, Walden said he was released Tuesday morning on a surety bond and given a court date for next month.

The Times-Tribune could confirm Walden was given a surety bond for $7,500 but a court hearing was not yet available on the state's CourtNet system.