Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMORGANTOWN W.Va (WDTV) - The truck driver that was arrested for causing a fatal accident in Cheat Lake is being extradited back to West Virginia from California to answer to his charges Sukhjinder Singh refused to waive extradition regarding the outstanding negligent homicide warrant for his arrest which meant he chose not to voluntarily agree to be transferred to West Virginia to face his charges Singh opted to go through a lengthier legal process that lengthy legal process was finally completed A California judge served Singh with the governor’s warrant and ordered him into the custody of West Virginia Singh is believed to have caused the January accident that resulted in Kevin Lataille’s death in Cheat Lake Deputies responded to the report of a jack-knifed tractor trailer on the Cheat Lake Bridge on January 19th told deputies that he lost control due to the severe snowstorm conditions Later that same day, the Morgantown Police Department received a missing persons report for Lataille location data from his phone indicated that his last known location was near the Cheat Lake Bridge Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the area which showed a large vehicle sliding on the bridge and a separate passenger vehicle falling from the bridge into the lake Drone footage later confirmed that the vehicle was in the lake but due to severe weather and dangerous conditions on the lake deputies said a recovery mission was scheduled for January 26th and his remains were found inside the vehicle deputies determined that Singh’s tractor was traveling at an unsafe speed despite the snowy road conditions Witnesses reported Singh’s driving to be reckless and even criminal Deputies were also able to confirm that Singh’s truck had hit another vehicle prior to reaching the bridge and failed to stop An examination of Lataille’s vehicle confirmed a collision with Singh’s truck which is what ultimately sent Lataille’s vehicle off the bridge and into Cheat Lake On February 28th with the assistance of a translator who admitted to driving the tractor at the time of the accident but denied hitting any vehicles or driving recklessly the investigation showed that Singh’s reckless driving directly caused the fatal crash that resulted in Lataille’s death People of California vs. Singh Sukhjunder by lpalmerwdtv on Scribd People of California vs. Singh Sukhjunder by lpalmerwdtv on Scribd A truck driver suspected in the death of a Fayette County man who plunged to his death in a West Virginia lake in January was arrested in the state of California Thursday follows the mistaken arrest of another man in Phoenix on Tuesday who authorities believed was Singh Singh is facing negligent homicide charges after being accused of running Kevin C off Interstate 68 in Monongalia County on Jan Lataille’s vehicle fell 80 feet into Cheat Lake still buckled into the driver’s seat Singh was reportedly involved in several other accidents on Interstate 68 that day He is being held in the Western Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga and is due to appear in San Bernardino Superior Court on Monday Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes said Singh was operating his vehicle “in a reckless manner and driving at speeds unsafe for road conditions.” Forbes said Singh’s “reckless driving” was the direct cause of Lataille’s fatal crash The sheriff also said the damage to Lataille’s car was “consistent” with a collision involving a truck or trailer Singh is a driver for Gurjaap Multani Transport LLC of Riverside and he has denied driving recklessly that day or striking other vehicles The sheriff’s office in Monongalia County issued a news release Tuesday saying that Singh had been arrested in Phoenix but police there had detained a man with a similar name and features who is no longer in custody He had just completed his shift at an Eat’n Park restaurant in Morgantown If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Herald-Standard | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy If you were traveling on the eastbound lane of Interstate 68’s Cheat Lake Bridge around noon or thereafter during last Sunday’s snowstorm Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes wants to hear from you The sheriff wants to know if you saw anything or have cell phone video or photographs,  detailing what may have happened to Kevin Lataille that day was on his way home after completing his shift at the Patteson Drive Eat’n Park Medical One emergency responder network punched through the frozen-over lake below the bridge on Sunday.  Lataille’s car – a bronze-colored Hyundai Tucson Pennsylvania license plate KSD 4278 – had been submerged in 12 feet of water The Murrysville divers were among the 100 or so responders from multiple units gathered at the water’s edge search teams made up of police and Lataille’s friends canvassed the roads by car in extreme weather Others patrolled swaths of areas on foot and enlisted drones in the search While the accident has prompted wide speculation on social media – did a jack-knifing truck inadvertently force Lataille’s car off the bridge and into the water 80 feet below –  Forbes said Monday he wasn’t going to speculate “We’re still trying to get that piece together.” Forbes said his department has launched two simultaneous investigations directly related to the accident and that he expects information sometime this week A live camera trained on the roadway from the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s 511 network won’t be part of either one Forbes said – since the transmissions from that camera and others down the line are live-only “They don’t record anything because they don’t have the storage space,” he said the incident commander of Murrysville Medical One said his divers spotted the car and quickly determined someone was inside the car likely would have settled on the bottom of the lake had the discovery not been made Sunday “I have to credit the police work and the people who were searching,” he said A Mon deputy was able to identify the vehicle and the victim once the car was hoisted by crane back to the surface of the bridge First responders recovered a car Sunday afternoon that had been submerged in frozen-over Cheat Lake – but Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes stopped short of confirming if the deceased man inside was Kevin Lataille who had gone missing while driving home at the height of last weekend’s snowstorm “I can tell you we have a victim and a vehicle,” the sheriff said as he stood near the water’s edge with the I-68 bridge towering overhead.  said in a Facebook post later that day that the car recovered was Lataille’s and that the person inside was Kevin Given the scope of the investigation and the sensitivity of the loss “It wouldn’t be responsible for me to say anything right now.” Other media outlets have quoted officials at the scene making the confirmation that the vehicle and the remains belong to Lataille the sheriff’s department was able to determine the location of the car extracted from the ice Sunday and Morgantown Police broke through an eight-inch layer of ice to get to the car which was then hoisted by crane some 80 feet up to the bridge “It took a lot of work,” said Morgantown Police Capt Teams from both departments drilled and chipped away at the ice which was solid enough to support their weight the director of Murrysville Medical and the lone diver who went in As many as 100 responders were all also there for the effort West Virginia State Police and Division of Natural Resources from the Mountain State “All these people right here,” Gerano said both he and Forbes said the wrenching ordeal of waiting was now over for anxious loved ones.  “At least a family will be able to get closure,” Gerano said.  Lataille had finished his shift last Sunday at the Patteson Drive Eat‘n Park at 12:15 p.m He got behind the wheel of his bronze Hyundai Tucson and set off It was snowing heavily with iced-up roads and low visibility He had just spotted the sign for Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa “I told him to be careful and to do what he needed to do,” she said A man wanted in connection with a deadly crash at Cheat Lake has been arrested in Arizona (WCHS) — A man wanted in connection with a deadly crash at Cheat Lake has been arrested in Arizona on a negligent homicide charge following a crash on the Cheat Lake Bridge along Interstate 68 on Jan according to a news release from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office Sukhjinder is accused of recklessly driving and failing to stop after striking the vehicle of 59-year-old Pennsylvania native Kevin C Investigators said Lataille’s vehicle went off the bridge and into the lake during the crash Deputies said in the news release Sukhjinder’s alleged actions “directly contributed to the fatal crash.” Investigators said Sukhjinder claimed he lost control of the vehicle amid winter weather and denied driving recklessly or striking any other vehicles Morgantown police later received a missing person report for Lataille whose body was later found inside a vehicle that was submerged in Cheat Lake Sukhjinder was arrested in Phoenix in coordination with local law enforcement agencies An investigation into the incident is ongoing and could result in additional charges MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Bids for the multi-million dollar upgrade of the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant have been negotiated, and the project is expected to get underway soon. The project went out for bid when the market was flooded with federal relief dollars for utility upgrade projects, and General Manager Mike McNulty expressed concern that the amount of work out for bid could force market prices up. “The low bid was submitted by Mele Mele and Sons in the amount of $39,630,000; however, the engineer’s estimate, including contingency, was $30,859,400,” McNulty said. When bids did come in well above the estimate, McNulty and staff met with the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for advice or even additional grant funding for the project. “Their suggestion was we needed to go back and look at the project to see what we could take out through the value engineering process where we look at all different aspects of the project to save money,” McNulty said. That resulted in several meetings with Braddock, Pennsylvania-based Mele & Mele & Sons to look at every aspect of the project. The first item removed was the more than $2 million Whites Run Lift Station portion of the project. Later, McNulty said they were able to whittle the project down to $36,038,742 after removing several items in addition to the life station. “We finally have been able to bring the project down where we could bring it back to the West Virginia Water Development Authority, and they agreed to provide us with another $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan grant dollars,” McNulty said. McNulty is confident that some of the subtractions will be added back to the project as actual costs are incurred. “We have a good project, and we think some of the items we may be able to get back into the project because we do have contingency dollars,” McNulty said. For Mele & Mele & Sons, this will be the first project with MUB. Assistant General Manager Rich Rogers said the multiple meetings allowed them to understand the performance history of the company and their ability to complete the work. “It’s clear they’ve done this size of project countless times, and maybe even bigger projects,” Rogers said. “So, we were comfortable after receiving that information.” Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "wajr_medrec_top" MONONGALIA, COUNTY, W.Va. — Detectives from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department have concluded the investigation into a fatal crash January 19 on the I-68 eastbound bridge over Cheat Lake. January 19 deputies from the sheriff’s department responded to a report of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer driven by Sukhjinder Singh, of New York. Singh told deputies he lost control of the tractor-trailer due to heavy snow and high winds at the time. That afternoon, the Morgantown Police Department received a report from the family of Kevin C. Lataille, 59, of Smithfield, Pa., Family members told police they were speaking to him on the phone as he drove home from his work shift at the Eat-n-Park in Morgantown. On January 23, Morgantown police learned a ping from Lataille’s phone indicated his last known location was near the Cheat Lake Bridge. Deputies also reviewed surveillance footage from the area, that showed a large vehicle sliding on the bridge, throwing snow into the air, and a separate passenger vehicle falling from the bridge into the lake. Aerial drone footage later confirmed the presence of a submerged vehicle in Cheat Lake near the location shown in the surveillance footage. On January 26, multiple units conducted a recovery operation and found the vehicle with Kevin Lataille deceased inside. Further examination of Lataille’s vehicle confirmed damage consistent with a collision involving Singh’s tractor, specifically at the driver’s side rear of Lataille’s car. This impact ultimately sent the vehicle off the bridge and into Cheat Lake. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Sukhjinder Singh for negligent homicide and more charges could be filed at a later date. The Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office is working the case. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 304-291-7260. MORGANTOWN – The effects of the ongoing drought are apparent around Cheat Lake Boats are stranded here and there on what are now mud flats vast swaths of hydrilla cover portions of the lake surface Lake Lynn Generation has notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission twice about the low levels The company’s license requires it to maintain lake levels between 868 and 870 feet while releasing into the Cheat River a minimum flow of 212 cubic feet per second (cfs) whichever is less; with an absolute minimum of 100 cfs to the river Lake Lynn reminded FERC that ongoing deviation from the minimum lake level began on Sept “No adverse environmental impacts to the aquatic ecosystem were observed or reported,” it said “Recreational boating in shallow areas of the reservoir Cheat Lake is being impacted by the lower elevation.” The company continues to operate the dam spillway to maintain the minimum 100 cfs flow into the river and maintain the required dissolved oxygen levels Lake Lynn told FERC that it anticipates the severe drought conditions to continue and reservoir elevation to decrease about 2 inches per day until meaningful precipitation falls in the watershed Boaters can get periodic updates on lake conditions at its Cheat Lake Today public website: Recreation – Cheat Lake Today The company said it has also installed signage and keeps key stakeholder groups and marinas informed Lake Lynn Generation withdrew its request to FERC for a temporary variance on its license requirement to maintain the minimum Cheat Lake level at 868 feet in order to lower it by 3 feet to increase the required dissolved oxygen level That proposal met widespread public opposition and Lake Lynn withdrew its request after West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection and Division of Natural Resources withdrew prior OK’s and FERC requested more information on alternative options from Lake Lynn 17 complaint to FERC the drought’s effects on the lake somewhat more dramatically than Lake Lynn had put it: “For the last week business owners and marinas have been in an emergency situation frantically trying to remove boats and docks from the lake Docks are being destroyed and boats are stuck on the lake bed Many many boats remain on the lake in jeopardy.” 4 letter to FERC complained about the hydrilla growth “Its thick mats of vegetation clog boat props and boat coolant intakes causing boat motors to overheat while building a toxic environment that threatens our newly restored fish population partially due to the ongoing drought and partially due to lake level mismanagement by Eagle Creek Alleged lake level mismanagement is a common theme among the letters filed with FERC 17 letter said the community believes the company has deliberately lower lake levels without a proper variance to its license The Biafora family of businesses has been vocal in its opposition to the now-withdrawn proposal to lower the lake and in echoing the accusations of mismanagement David Biafora told The Dominion Post on Tuesday “It’s affecting everybody’s business.” He is among those who believe Lake Lynn is violating its permit while attributing the lower levels to the drought but they have opened the dam to make money … They could just keep the dam closed,” he said … Our ramp goes out 50-60 feet.” And boaters can access the lake there But the lake is shallow and the island near Edgewater is appearing The company has previously said its FERC license does not prioritize any of the flow requirements for Lake Lynn to comply with the competing requirements during extremely hot and dry periods.” Because it prioritizes its license requirements over generating power it hasn’t produced electricity since July 5 FERC is reviewing Lake Lynn Generation’s application to renew its Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project license Lake Lynn Generation/Eagle Creek Renewable Energy propose to remove 243.8 acres surrounding Cheat Lake from federal protection The company has said it has no plans to sell the land reflected in dozens of public comments submitted to FERC 20 filing that to help remedy the competing license requirements in the future to develop an Operation Plan that will include standard operating procedures to be implemented during periods of low inflow and low dissolved oxygen “which will document the prioritization of license requirements and how Lake Lynn will comply with the operational requirements of the license.” MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) is ready to start the next phases of two multi-million dollar infrastructure projects after a brief delay to start in 2025. “Bear Contracting has completed the 12-inch PVC and the 16-inch HDP water line installation,” said McNulty. “We’re currently working on filling the water line, pressure testing, and back-T testing so we can officially put this line into service,” he said. “The subcontractor will begin block installation for the booster station later on this month,” said McNulty. “Bear plans to make the tie-in on the existing 16-inch water line and begin testing on the suction and discharge side of the booster station,” he said. The next phase of the project will consist of a directional drill to accommodate an additional 16-inch pipeline installation that will be located near the Star City Bridge. This was delayed due to near sub-zero temperatures that have affected any drilling-related projects for the majority of 2025. McNulty stated that with the weather expected to stay above freezing for the near future, drilling will commence by the end of the week, with a goal to be completed before the end of summer 2025. “A lot of work is being done, even with the weather,” said McNulty. “The subcontractor did mobilize for the 16-inch drill from Sheetz gas station to the Star City Bridge, and the 16-inch drill under Trope Hill, they plan to start drilling this week,” he said. “It’s muddy right now, so progress is a bit slow, but they are excavating (up there),” said McNulty on the start of the Cheat Lake WWTP project. “Job trailers are set up, and all things considered, I feel like we’re making good progress,” he said. The MUB Board of Directors also unanimously approved a contract bid from Anderson Excavating for work on Valley View stormwater improvements at approximately $596,000. The board also unanimously approved the appointment of Barbara Parsons as board chair and Tom Witt as vice-chair. MORGANTOWN – The recent rains have raised the level of Cheat Lake back above the minimum required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission But Marina 1 LLC – one of the Biafora family of businesses that operate along the lake – citing damages already sustained is seeking an injunction and temporary restraining order to prevent Lake Lynn Generation from using its dam to lower the lake level filed the case in Monongalia County Circuit Court on Monday Lake Lynn Generation and its parent company Cheat Lake Marina references various events reported at length in The Dominion Post: The drought led Lake Lynn to request from FERC a temporary variance in its requirement to keep a minimum lake level of 868 feet in order to lower it if needed to 865 feet to stimulate water flow and maintain required dissolved oxygen levels The request generated vocal public opposition then withdrew their approval of the request in order to explore other options And Lake Lynn subsequently withdrew its request boats were stranded here and there on what became mud flats Lake Lynn Generation notified FERC three times about the low levels noting the level fell to 864.7 feet on Sept The level is up again following the rainfall it notes that Tuesday’s level was 869.3 feet Cheat Lake Marina alleges that before the Labor Day weekend Lake Lynn deliberately lowered the level below the 868-foot minimum in violation of its FERC license Geological Service gauge that was reading 3 feet lower than the actual lake level This includes boaters who used its docks rather than other inaccessible docks without permission causing damages to Cheat Lake Marina’s docks And the low water level has caused its docks to slowly pull away from their land mounts irreparable injury if the defendants are allowed to continually lower the water level of Cheat Lake in violation of their FERC permit the defendants will not be significantly impaired by this court forbidding them from doing such.” While an injunction would prevent Lake Lynn from maintaining a required minimum flow level of 100 cubic feet per second into the Cheat River it wouldn’t harm the defendants and would prevent further harm to Cheat Lake Marina Along with the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Cheat Lake Marina is also requesting $50,000 in damages The defendants have not yet filed a response to Cheat Lake Marina’s request or allegations The Dominion Post has reached out to Lake Lynn for comment but timing made a reply impossible by Tuesday’s deadline companies typically do not comment on active litigation The investigation of a fatal accident on the Cheat Lake Bridge at Interstate 68 last month that sent a car and its driver into the freezing water below now includes another vehicle Monongalia Sheriff Todd Forbes said Thursday “The department is determining the level of involvement that 2025 Freightliner Tractor/Trailer may have had in a 2013 Hyundai going off the interstate bridge and into Cheat Lake,” the sheriff said in a release.  which occurred at the height of a snowstorm that afternoon He was still in his vehicle which was pulled from beneath the surface of the frozen-over lake a week later He was on his way home after completing his shift at the Patteson Drive Eat’n Park said his department “will not speculate” on any particulars that may have led to the wreck while the investigation is ongoing.  County detectives and the department’s accident reconstruction team are still doing interviews and other vehicular diagnostic work related to the investigation He didn’t immediately return calls in time for this report.  MORGANTOWN — Sewer rates for some 3,400 Cheat Lake customers of the Morgantown Utility Board will double starting Nov Morgantown City Council finalized a 100% rate increase tied to the expansion of MUB’s Cheat Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant which will increase the plant’s capacity from 750,000 gallons to 1.75 million gallons per day The actual cost won’t be known until bids are opened on Tuesday rates for Cheat Lake customers would jump from $35.59 to $71.18 monthly for every 3,400 gallons which is the average usage calculated by the state when measuring rate changes The minimum monthly  charge of $21.70 will double The existing treatment facility is exceeding 90% of its designed capacity.  the last time MUB increased rates in the area As of 2023 there were 3,349 Cheat Lake customers The average annual growth in the area is just over 3.5% council approved on second reading the conveyance of lower Marilla Park to the Morgantown Building Commission in exchange for the issuance of up to $11 million in lease revenue bonds for a forthcoming park project will then lease the property back from the commission as the mechanism through which the debt service on the bonds is paid This is the same process used to finance numerous city capital improvement projects including the renovation of city hall and the ongoing construction of the new Marilla Pool complex The anticipated price of the work is $9.4 million “That gives us a lot of head room beyond the estimated cost of the project in case something unanticipated happens,” project bond counsel Tom Aman said The project will be put out to bid in early 2025 with construction expected to follow next spring The redesigned lower park will include a new action sports/skate park in the current footprint of the soon-to-be demolished old Marilla Pool The park’s new tennis courts will move to the end of the property to fill space currently occupied by the state park and the footprint of the old shirt factory building Improvements will also include pickleball courts covered and open bleachers for both the tennis and pickleball courts trail head for the Marilla Connector Trail revamped parking areas to serve each “zone,” and renovations to the Marilla Center MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — Police, firefighters, and divers from multiple jurisdictions recovered a vehicle with an unidentified occupant from Cheat Lake over the side of the eastbound bridge over I-68 Sunday. Dive teams received their final briefing around 9 a.m., according to Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes. By 10:25 a.m. the first team started a careful trek of more than 1,000 feet across unknown ice conditions to get to the suspected scene of the vehicle. After about an hour, it appeared crews located the vehicle and moved a wrecker into place and began final preparations to pull the car from the icy waters. Shortly after noon, the car was pulled from the ice and hoisted to the top of the bridge. “All we’re going to be able to confirm is that there was in fact a vehicle; it looks like we’ve almost removed it, and we can also verify there was a victim in the vehicle,” Forbes said. “We can confirm there was a victim in the vehicle.” The investigation began Wednesday when the sheriff’s department closed the section of interstate for an unknown investigation. Friday, it was confirmed the recovery operation would take place Sunday after an extensive safety assessment. In addition to more than 30 divers on the scene, there were also police from multiple agencies and Monongalia EMS. “We do want to thank the hundreds of volunteers that have come out. It takes an unparalleled amount of bravery to stand on that ice right now,” Forbes said. “We want to thank them, and we’ll do that later, but we’ll release more when we get more.” The bridge was the scene of a multiple vehicle accident, including a semi-truck jackknife, during the Jan. 19 snow event. MORGANTOWN – Lake Lynn Generation’s annual elevation and flow report gives a retrospective look at its response to the summer drought conditions that stirred – and is still stirring opposition ot its management of its hydroelectric project Lake Lynn is required to file the report with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission each year it’s supposed to maintain Cheat Lake’s elevation between 868 and 870 feet; Nov The summer drought put Lake Lynn in a trilemma – having to choose between three competing FERC license requirements: maintain the summer level of 868-870 feet; maintain a flow rate of 212 cubic feet per second (cfs) into the Cheat with an absolute minimum of 100 cfs; and maintain dissolved oxygen at 5 milligrams per liter for the aquatic life submitted to FERC on Tuesday and posted by FERC on Wednesday 2024 – 3 hours 30 minutes – where the lake rose about a third of a foot above the maximum elevation The elevation reached 1.1 below minimum Sept The last three-day stretch says “end of the event.” “Extremely low inflow into the project reservoir and severe drought conditions made it impossible to maintain all three license requirements during the month of September 2024.” It chose to maintain spillway flow and dissolved oxygen levels “LLG operation staff acted appropriately to prioritize complying with its license requirements to minimize adverse aquatic ecosystem impacts to the Cheat River downstream of the project.” Lake Lynn reminded FERC that anticipating the drought it submitted a request for a temporary variance to the lake level requirement in July The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection first approved the request then withdrew the approval in the face of public concerns Seeing that the process would extend beyond the drought period Lake Lynn has told FERC that to help remedy the competing license requirements in the future mentioned such issues as largely empty marinas vast swaths of hydrilla covering portions of the lake surface Lake Lynn’s Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project license expired Nov FERC in December issued an annual license to allow Lake Lynn to continue operating while FERC processes its license renewal application chiefly regarding Lake Lynn’s proposal to remove 243.8 acres of project land no longer needed for project purposes from its project boundary “I am in favor of them continuing to operate the electric generation facility But they need to increase the maintenance and upkeep of the area surrounding Lake Lynn I am opposed to them removing property from what they list as the park area “The representatives have said that they have no intention of selling this excess acreage “But if it is removed and if the right price is offered I have a special interest as a property owner at Lake Lynn some of the property that they propose to remove is between my property and the lake It would be totally unacceptable to have someone else come in and take ownership of that property and obstruct our access notes that the acreage in question is valuable with 5 nearby acres offered for $1.2 million And Lake Lynn hasn’t said what it will do with the land “A sale of the acreage for millions of dollars is plainly in the offing for why would the licensee bother to retain and care for land that in its judgment is no longer ‘needed?’” would be “to the everlasting detriment of water quality a lawsuit filed by the Biafora family business Marina 1 LLC against Lake Lynn Generation continues to play out in federal court Marina 1 is seeking $50,000 compensation for property damages alleging that before the Labor Day weekend Lake Lynn deliberately lowered the level of Cheat Lake below the 868-foot minimum in violation of its FERC license The case originated in Monongalia County Circuit Court and Marina 1 wants it moved back there District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia in Clarksburg Lake Lynn wants the case kept in federal court It argues the case should be dismissed because it is “an impermissible collateral attack” on its FEC license the federal court has no jurisdiction over how the company should prioritize competing FERC license requirements and Marina 1’s claims are preempted by federal law MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A late Sunday night storm that caused high winds and flash flooding in parts of the Morgantown area led to the closure of both sides of Interstate 68 near the Cheat Lake Bridge as a result of multiple accidents. As a result of the intense storm that caused over 1,500 Morgantown residents to lose power, the West Virginia Department of Highways closed both the westbound and eastbound lanes of I-68 around the Cheat Lake bridge after two vehicle accidents occurred around mile marker 9.5 in less than an hour. The accidents were reported at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, with emergency crews from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department, the Brookhaven Fire Department, and Mon EMS responding not long after. The roads were closed for over two hours as crews cleared out remnant water that spilled over onto the interstate, which covered both eastbound and westbound lanes near the Cheat Lake Bridge exit. MECCA 911 reported that crews were on the scene past midnight Monday. There was no confirmation on how many vehicles were involved in the accidents or if there were any injuries. MORGANTOWN — Cheat Lake Marina has gone a step beyond merely submitting comments opposing Lake Lynn Generation’s proposal to lower the lake level by three feet and has petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to intervene in the case Cheat Lake Marina submitted the petition under its corporate name but refers to itself throughout as Cheat Lake Marina It says its purpose in intervening is to preserve its right to object to Lake Lynn’s lake-lowering proposal Cheat Lake Marina tells FERC is provides dock rentals and houses a restaurant/bar and conference facility “Cheat Lake Marina will be significantly prejudiced by the negative impacts that lowering the water level will have on Cheat Lake and the surrounding area as apparently sought by the Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project,” the petition begins As with the other objections that have poured into FERC the company cites the potential recreational commercial and environmental harm of lowering the lake level “Lowering the water levels of Cheat Lake too much will make boat docking almost impossible and even dangerous Lake Lynn has failed to dredge the lake and remove tree limbs and logs partially submerged.” and the winter ramp at Cheat Lake Park can’t handle the summer boating volume “Lowering the water levels will have a grave impact on the residents’ ability to use their property to fish or enjoy any other recreational activities that the lake Residents will be forced to relocate for these activities.” and any other summer-based activities will decline as an effect of lesser amount of people enjoying the lake.” Businesses beaches and parks will be forced to close early Lowering the level will also affect fish and wildlife “If water levels drop below the optimal range various different species will be required to relocate to worse habitat conditions such a lowering would disrupt or possibly displace wildlife having an ancillary impact on the environment in the region.” This petition was posted just one day after FERC posted OKs for the proposal from West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection and Division of Natural Resources and from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and U.S Lake Lynn Generation submitted its request to FERC on July 16 saying its hydroelectric project tailrace and reservoir dissolved oxygen levels have been decreasing due to a lack of precipitation and low reservoir inflows Lowering the minimum level from 868 feet to no less than 865 feet would increase spillway discharge to address the low dissolved oxygen levels Lake Lynn told FERC it would open the winter boat launch at Cheat Lake Park which allows access during lower lake levels Lake Lynn reminded FERC that low oxygen levels have occurred because of low inflow during the months of July through October at the project in past years It requested and was granted similar temporary variances in September 2019 An extensive investigation into a crash that occurred along Interstate 68 in Monongalia County earlier this year suggests the reckless operation of a tractor trailer killed a man of New York has been issued for negligent homicide and additional charges may follow according to a social media post from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office emergency crews found Singh has crashed a tractor trailer along the Cheat Lake Bridge The driver claimed he lost control of the vehicle amid winter weather and denied driving recklessly or striking any other vehicles Morgantown police later received a missing person report for 59-year-old Kevin Lataille of Pennsylvania whose body was later found inside a vehicle that was submerged in Cheat Lake Investigators said Singh’s tractor trailer was “traveling at an unsafe speed despite hazardous road conditions” before striking Lataille’s vehicle Anyone with information pertinent to the investigation may contact deputies by calling 304-291-7260 or emailing info@monongaliasheriff.gov Investigators are searching for more information after a missing Pennsylvania man’s vehicle and his body were found submerged in a lake in West Virginia over the weekend The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office said it recovered the body and vehicle of Kevin Lataille that was submerged under an icy Cheat Lake on Sunday Investigators said the circumstances of how Lataille’s vehicle ended up in the lake are still under investigation but the incident is believed to have happened on Sunday The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have information photos or videos of Interstate 68 eastbound in the Cheat Lake Bridge area around that time to call 304-291-7260 Watching your family home burn to the ground does something to a person: despair who lost her home on Bakers Cemetery Road in Cheat Lake on Friday night “We’re thankful to be alive,” she said Sunday her two grandchildren whom she often cared for in the home and herself Not to say that the loss of a 250-year-old historic homestead isn’t devastating She had just left the Baker Farm shortly after 10 p.m Friday night when an urgent call from a neighbor turned her around She and family members watched as the house which had been in her family since the mid-1700s was reduced to two stone chimneys a smoldering basement and a pile of rubble Herring was told that the cause of the fire may never be determined because of the extent of the destruction Herring said that every fire department in Monongalia County and some from Fayette County across the Pennsylvania line responded to the fire taking turns drawing water from nearby hydrants She is grateful for their work in extinguishing the fire by about 12:30 a.m and the subsequent rekindlings over the weekend Her family has always been a great supporter of firefighters noting that her grandparents donated the land on which the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department was built Her family’s generosity and dedication to the community have been returning to her in spades “The outpouring from Morgantown has been overwhelming,” Herring said tearfully.  The Red Cross offered support in the early hours Saturday supplies and counseling available to her and her family A family friend, Tayler Howell, launched an effort to raise money “for immediate needs and replacing belongings that were lost in the fire.” To join that effort which had raised about $5,100 as of 3 p.m. Sunday, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-bakers-farm-family-after-devastating-fire Much of the community outpouring focused on the Bakers Farm Kennel & Grooming business that sat across the way from the burning structure The kennel’s distance from the house meant the boarded pets were “not in danger,” and Herring confirmed that “it’s business as usual.”  She offers three different sizes of kennels After leaving her nursing career due to medical issues Herring has put the lion’s share of her focus into running the kennel None of the boarded pets was injured Friday night but one of her own dogs is sporting a cast for a broken leg Debris and an open smoldering basement make for dangerous conditions Someone getting hurt would only compound her family’s tragedy.  this home was the heart of the family.”  Herring’s strong resolve and positive perspective contend that the home wasn’t the only heart of this family