SPENCER, WV – A Spencer man is facing several charges after West Virginia State Police say he opened fire on two DoorDash drivers who had mistakenly gone down his driveway while following GPS directions. One of the shots struck the delivery vehicle, according to investigators.
Troopers said the drivers, Michelle Lowe, 48, and William Lowe, 57, were on a delivery Monday, Sept. 28, when they realized they were in the wrong place and were trying to figure out the correct route. Police said the encounter happened on Arnoldsburg Road in Spencer.
Authorities said Larry Epling, 65, was arrested Friday, Oct. 2, and later charged in Roane County.
Drivers say they were trying to correct a GPS mistake
Police said Michelle Lowe and William Lowe told Senior Trooper D.A. Goodnight that they had been using GPS to reach a DoorDash order when the directions led them down a long driveway that was not the intended destination.
The couple said they were still sitting in their vehicle and working out where to go next when shots were fired at them. Investigators said multiple rounds were discharged during the incident.
According to state police, the gunfire damaged the vehicle and one round struck it. The couple was not reported injured in the account provided by police.
Investigators responded to a shots-fired call on Sept. 28
Senior Trooper D.A. Goodnight responded to the report of shots fired on Arnoldsburg Road on Monday, Sept. 28. The location and the timing became the starting point for the criminal case that followed several days later.
West Virginia State Police said the incident involved a delivery run that turned dangerous after the drivers entered the wrong driveway. The case highlights how a routine food order quickly escalated into a firearms investigation in Roane County.
Police have not said what prompted the shooting or whether anyone else was present at the property. The state police account centers on the drivers’ mistaken turn and the gunfire that followed.
Six wanton endangerment counts and four firearm-related charges
Epling was charged with six counts of wanton endangerment, two counts of assault, and two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, police said. The charges were filed after investigators reviewed the circumstances reported by the drivers and the damage to their vehicle.
Wanton endangerment in West Virginia is typically used in cases where someone allegedly places another person in danger through reckless conduct. The assault counts and the firearm-possession charges add to the seriousness of the case as described by police.
Authorities have not released additional details about the firearm allegation beyond the charging information.
Bond set at $25,000 in Roane County Magistrate Court
Epling was arraigned in Roane County Magistrate Court, where his bond was set at $25,000 surety. Police said he posted bond and was released after the court appearance.
The court action came after the arrest on Friday, Oct. 2, nearly a week after the shots-fired call. The sequence indicates that investigators spent time documenting the incident before taking Epling into custody.
Roane County court records and state police were the key agencies involved in the early stages of the case. No trial date or further hearing details were included in the information provided by authorities.
A routine delivery turns into a criminal case in Spencer
The case began as an ordinary delivery mistake and ended with a felony-level police response. The Lowes were following navigation instructions for a DoorDash order when they ended up on a private driveway, according to state police.
From there, the situation escalated into shots fired, a damaged vehicle, an arrest, and multiple charges. For local residents, the incident underscores how quickly a misunderstanding on a rural road can become a dangerous confrontation.
State police have not said whether the delivery app, road layout, or any warning signs played a role in the mistaken turn. The case remains in the court system after Epling’s release on bond.
WTRF note says unrelated video was attached to the story
WTRF said the video attached to its coverage was a promotion for Remarkable Women 2027 and was not related to the shooting case. That note was included separately from the news report on the arrest and charges.
The main facts in the case remain the same: two DoorDash drivers say they were mistaken for trespassers, shots were fired, one bullet hit their vehicle, and police arrested a Spencer man days later.
West Virginia State Police continue to handle the criminal case through the Roane County court process.
