News
July 17, 2008
Ex-CPD officer Tagayun joins St. Albans force

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The city of St. Albans has hired a former Charleston police officer who was involved in a 2005 Kanawha City wreck that injured him and left a Charlton Heights woman dead.

Brandon Tagayun, 27, was sworn in as a patrolman in the St. Albans Police Department on Tuesday afternoon, Chief Joe Crawford said Wednesday.

Crawford said he and St. Albans Mayor St. Albans Mayor Dick Callaway did an extensive background check, considering Tagayun's experience as well as the incident that killed Patsy Sizemore, 69.

"He brought a lot of experience to the table from when he was in Charleston," Crawford said. "[With] all the information we had, we felt that he was a good viable candidate."

Callaway said Tagayun did exceptionally well on the city's tests to hire police officers, and was the top candidate for the job.

"I knew he had baggage," the mayor said. "I knew there was going to be controversy. But for me to make a choice other than picking the best candidate would be a flaw on my part."

On Oct. 14, 2005, Tagayun was responding as backup to a domestic dispute call at the Kanawha Mall on MacCorkle Avenue without his emergency lights and sirens. State Police investigators concluded he was driving between 60 and 80 mph in a 40-mph zone.

In March 2007, Tagayun pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors - speeding and failure to use his cruiser's emergency lights. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped a negligent-homicide charge against the former officer.

Tagayun received one year's probation and was fined $100 for each charge. He has been living with his family in his home state of California since he resigned from the Charleston Police Department in April 2006. Callaway said he returned recently to West Virginia to help his wife, a state native, take care of an ailing relative.

In July 2006, the city of Charleston settled for $1.8 million a civil lawsuit filed by Sizemore's husband, Gary, who survived the crash.

Gary Sizemore could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

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Posted By: TOTALLY AGREE (12:15am 07-20-2008)
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"INSIDE SCOOP" I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

Posted By: Inside Scoop (2:07pm 07-19-2008)
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To all of those who believe he would have been held more accountable if he had been a citizen instead of a police officer, think again!!!! If the same situation occurred and he was not an officer, Mrs. Sizemore would have been at fault for turning in front of him. Trust me, it has been discussed extensively in the law enforcement community. That would have been the final outcome!!!! Congratulations Tagayun!!!! You'll do great!!!!!! Keep your head up and ignore those who are closed-minded and lack common sense!!!!!!

Posted By: A death is a death (7:04am 07-19-2008)
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If someone in my profession killed someone due to their negligence, they would not be working in the same job. If he wants to still be considered an officer for the police department (any police department), put his butt behind a desk in booking or some office procedure, not behind the wheel of another vehicle.

Posted By: well............. (1:11am 07-19-2008)
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If anything, I think hes been through a lot and will be more careful now than ever before. Come on folks, he lost his career. He went into that job wanting to help people, not have one turn in front of him and be killed. It was an accident. He cannot go anywhere in the valley where people arent whispering literally in front of him. (I witnessed this personally.) Both families have been through a lot. Let it go. He learned a lesson as we all do from our mistakes, THATS HOW WE LEARN. He tried to move his family elsewhere, but decided to come back to WV and this is how he is treated? We can do better than that. He will be an asset to St.Albans and I am glad the mayor gave him this opportunity to prove himself. Please let it go.

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