CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A St. Albans police officer who resigned early in December was arrested Monday in Milton.

Ronald Mark Chapman, 43, of Milton, was charged with wanton endangerment after allegedly trying to kill himself in his Cardinal Drive home, according to a criminal complaint on file in Cabell County Magistrate Court.

St. Albans Police Chief Joe Crawford said Chapman resigned from the St. Albans police force on Dec. 4 during the course of an internal investigation. He had been on administrative leave since October.

Crawford would not say why Chapman was being investigated, saying the investigation was a personnel issue.

Chapman was picked up Monday by Milton police. According to the criminal complaint, Chapman's wife, Carla Jo Chapman, told police that Ronald Chapman had a .45 caliber pistol and had threatened to shoot himself. She said her husband had fired two rounds while she was standing nearby.

When Ronald Chapman picked up a revolver and put it to his head, Carla Jo Chapman said she left and went across the street to a neighbor's house, according to the criminal complaint. She and the neighbors told police they then heard another shot, which they believed came from Chapman's bedroom window.

Police allegedly found two .45 caliber shell casings in Chapman's bedroom, and an apparent bullet hole in the window screen. Police believe the bullet fired through the window hit the house across the street. According to the criminal complaint, police recovered six guns and ammunition from the house.

Chapman was charged with three felony counts of wanton endangerment, and a misdemeanor count of  possessing a firearm in violation of a domestic violence protection order. He faces one to five years in prison for each wanton endangerment count, and up to a year in prison on the firearms charge.

Chapman was free today on $160,000 bond.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.

Ronald Mark Chapman, 43, of Milton, was charged with wanton endangerment after allegedly trying to kill himself in his Cardinal Drive home, according to a criminal complaint on file in Cabell County Magistrate Court.

St. Albans Police Chief Joe Crawford said Chapman resigned from the St. Albans police force on Dec. 4 during the course of an internal investigation. He had been on administrative leave since October.

Crawford would not say why Chapman was being investigated, saying the investigation was a personnel issue.

Chapman was picked up Monday by Milton police. According to the criminal complaint, Chapman's wife, Carla Jo Chapman, told police that Ronald Chapman had a .45 caliber pistol and had threatened to shoot himself. She said her husband had fired two rounds while she was standing nearby.

When Ronald Chapman picked up a revolver and put it to his head, Carla Jo Chapman said she left and went across the street to a neighbor's house, according to the criminal complaint. She and the neighbors told police they then heard another shot, which they believed came from Chapman's bedroom window.

Police allegedly found two .45 caliber shell casings in Chapman's bedroom, and an apparent bullet hole in the window screen. Police believe the bullet fired through the window hit the house across the street. According to the criminal complaint, police recovered six guns and ammunition from the house.

Chapman was charged with three felony counts of wanton endangerment, and a misdemeanor count of  possessing a firearm in violation of a domestic violence protection order. He faces one to five years in prison for each wanton endangerment count, and up to a year in prison on the firearms charge.

Chapman was free today on $160,000 bond.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.