Former Monongah Police Chief Decertified Following Traffic Stop Incident

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On August 1, 2024, in Monongah, West Virginia, then-Police Chief Nathan Lanham conducted a traffic stop on a driver, Beth Delloma, citing an expired registration. During the encounter, Delloma expressed concern that Lanham was an impersonator because he was not in a standard uniform and was operating an unmarked vehicle. The situation escalated when Lanham used a tool to shatter the driver-side window, pointed his service weapon at Delloma, and forcibly removed her from the vehicle. Delloma was initially arrested and charged with felony fleeing. Following the public circulation of footage captured during the stop, the charges against Delloma were dismissed by Marion County Prosecutor Jeffrey Freeman, who determined the facts did not support the felony allegations. Lanham resigned from his position as Police Chief shortly after the incident. In November 2024, the Law Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee voted to decertify Lanham, effectively prohibiting him from serving as a law enforcement officer in West Virginia. Lanham attempted to appeal this decision, but the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia dismissed his appeal in February 2026 due to a lack of jurisdiction.