FATHER IN SEARCH OF TRUTH ABOUT SON'S DEATH

The father of Bryan Paul Causey, who died Dec. 18 after being shot by a
member of the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force following
a controlled drug buy, has contacted an attorney regarding his son's death.

Larue Causey of St. Albans declined to name his attorney. He said he wants
to learn the truth about the circumstances surrounding his son's death. "I
will know," Larue Causey said. "I will find out exactly what happened
before it's over with.

"I will know the truth."

The News and Sentinel has learned private investigators hired by a law firm
are in Wood County investigating the case. It is not known if these
investigators are connected to Larue Causey's attorney.

Bryan Causey died around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18. The official cause of death has
not been released, but preliminary information from a Dec. 19 autopsy
performed in Charleston indicated a piece of a bullet fired from the duty
weapon of a task force member had lodged in his heart. The bullet
fragmented after entering the upper left portion of Brian Causey's chest,
said Wood County Prosecutor Ginny Conley.

According to information released by Conley, officers in clothing clearly
identifying them as law enforcement agents attempted to stop Bryan Causey's
truck. Causey was allegedly driving the vehicle away from a controlled drug
buy at a Kittle Street residence in Mullenix Addition. Bryan Causey
attempted to drive his truck around a blockade consisting of marked and
unmarked police vehicles and became stuck in a ditch, Conley said. After
freeing the vehicle, he allegedly pointed it at police officers on foot and
drove toward them.

At that point, an unidentified task force agent fired a single shot from
his duty weapon, striking Bryan Causey, Conley said. The car continued
north on West Virginia 31, striking three civilian vehicles before going
off the road.

Materials associated with the manufacture of methamphetamines were found in
the back of the truck, Conley said.

Conley said Thursday she was not aware Larue Causey had contacted an attorney.

Larue Causey said Bryan was in Wood County to pick up a Corvette Bryan
owned. Lucy Rhodes, arrested at the scene on a felony charge of conspiracy
to manufacture meth, accompanied Bryan Causey, whom she had been seeing for
a year-and-a-half, Larue Causey said.

Owners of Perry's Alignment and Auto Service confirmed that a Corvette
owned by Bryan Causey is at the shop and Bryan Causey attempted to get the
car out at some point before the shooting. He was told he did not have
enough money to pay for it, one of the owners said.

They declined to say how long the car had been at the shop.

Rhodes declined an interview last week.

Larue Causey said the past week has been the most difficult of his life. He
and Bryan were "very close," he said.

On Sunday, Larue Causey took Bryan's son, Bryan Robert Causey, 10, to
Bryan's funeral.

The 10-year-old did not live with his father, but Larue Causey said the two
were still in contact. Larue Causey said the boy is not doing very well in
the wake of his father's death.