West Virginia authorities investigating death of male after officer struggle

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A person walking on Interstate 81 on Sunday night in Berkeley County died after a state police trooper responding to the scene struggled with the individual, according to authorities.

About 9:15 p.m., a trooper from the West Virginia State Police barrack in Martinsburg responded to a 911 call of an intoxicated male walking on I-81 south near the 18.5 mile-marker, according to a news release from state police.

That is about 2 1/2 miles north of the North Queen Street exit near Martinsburg.

The trooper found the person and a brief struggle occurred, the release said. The male became unresponsive and troopers were unsuccessful in reviving him at the scene, the release said.

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The individual later died at Berkeley Medical Center and an investigation is underway, the release said.

Capt. R.A. Maddy, a state police spokesman, said in a phone interview Monday that he could not release further details, such as how the struggle began, more details about the identity of the male, or whether the trooper who struggled with him is on administrative leave.

Maddy said state police are "looking into everything."

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: West Virginia State Police probe death of man after trooper struggle