Teen accused of setting man on fire remains in jail
The preliminary hearing for a 16-year-old boy accused of beating a West Virginia man, tying him up and then setting him on fire was continued Thursday afternoon. Donald Lee Evans of 311 E. Church Ave., Masontown, was charged as an adult last month before Magisterial District Judge Wendy D. Dennis with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, robbery, criminal conspiracy and theft as a result of the alleged incident.
Fayette County Assistant District Attorney Phyllis Jin requested the continuance during a hearing before Magisterial District Judge Randy S. Abraham Thursday afternoon after Evans’ alleged 14-year-old accomplice was unable to appear in court.
Jin said prosecutors learned that the boy was being held in a juvenile detention center in Grove City and would not be able to make the 1:30 p.m. hearing. No new hearing date has been set.
According to Trooper James Custer, Evans and an unidentified 14-year-old boy allegedly assaulted David Lee Overfield, 46, of Morgantown at a location on Mack Farm Road in Nicholson Township between 1 and 4 a.m. Aug. 22.
Custer said Overfield was attempting to purchase crack cocaine when he was attacked. The boys were inside Overfield’s vehicle, with Overfield, when they assault the victim and beat him with blunt objects.
The boys then pulled Overfield out of the vehicle, bound him with rope, set him on fire and left him to die, fleeing the scene in the man’s vehicle, Custer said, noting that Overfield suffered burns to his chest, stomach, back, right arm and hand. Overfield also suffered four broken vertebrae and lacerations and bruises to his head and face, Custer said. Overfield was treated at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown following the attack.
Evans remains in the Fayette County Prison on $50,000 straight cash bond.