Man charged in attack on motel owner

CHESTER, W.Va. - One of the men believed responsible for the assault of a local motel owner and the theft of his vehicle was taken into custody late Friday at a relative's home in West Virginia.

Scott Jackson, 27, whose last known address was 9714 Steubenville Pike, Lisbon, was taken into custody by Hancock County Sheriff's deputies at about 9:30 p.m. Friday on a fugitive from justice warrant.

Sgt. Brian Swan of Hancock County said deputies went to an address provided by Columbiana County sheriff's deputies and found Jackson with his step-mother and his girlfriend at the step-mother's home on Fulton Lane. He was taken into custody without a problem and bond was later set at $100,000. He will appear early next week on the fugitive of justice charge, the process for extraditing him back across the state line.

The warrant for Jackson in Columbiana County charges him with robbery (physical harm). Included in the paperwork is that Jackson is accused of beating Richard McCullough about the head several times and taking his Honda Passport SUV.

McCullough is the owner of the Frola Motel and had contacted deputies on Sunday to report three or four men staying there struggled with him to get the keys to his SUV and fled south on state Route 45 in the vehicle with a second vehicle following behind them. The SUV was found wrecked on Applegate Road when a passing motorist came by a short time later. It was smouldering from a fire on the seat.

When McCullough gave his statement to deputies, he told them he had asked a couple to leave after renting them a room, because throughout the day carloads of people had come to the room with alcohol. McCullough had told deputies a man named "Scott" was the one who had approached his vehicle, attempted to grab the paper he was writing down license plates on and punched him several times in the side of the head. "Scott" then also drove the SUV away.

While Columbiana County deputies believe Jackson did not act alone, at this point he is the only one charged in the incident.

djohnson@mojonews.com