By Beth Sergent

For Mason County Extra Edition

POINT PLEASANT — Tragedies flood the news and consciousness of everyone paying attention these days, and seemingly on an hourly basis. Long before 24-hour news and smart phones, for many in Mason County, there was no escaping one unforgettable, indelible day in 1976.

This past Saturday, three law enforcement officers of the Mason County Sheriff’s Department who died in the line of duty following an explosion at the county jail on March 2, 1976, were remembered during the official dedication of a bridge named in their honor.

The bridge, which rests along U.S. 35 at Lower 5 Mile, was dedicated to the memory and service of Deputy Kenneth “Kenny” Ward Love; Sheriff Elvin Eugene “Pete” Wedge; and Jailer Ernest Ray “Ernie” Hesson (Hesson was also a former sheriff).  

Mason County Commissioner Rick Handley delivered opening remarks inside the third floor Mason County Courtroom, which is only steps away from where the tragedy occurred.

During his remarks, Handley recounted the tragic day which led to the gathering.

“These men deserve to be immortalized for the ultimate sacrifice they made for the citizens of Mason County in 1976,” Handley said. “As many of you recall,…the events on March 2, 1976, began when an armed 19-year-old man arrived at the Mason County Jail, located just behind where you’re sitting today, demanding to see his wife, who was incarcerated and awaiting trial on a charge of murdering her two-month-old daughter. From there, tragically, the man detonated the dynamite that he had with him, and the explosion ripped through this three-story stone courthouse, blowing a hole in the side of the building, and breaking out windows on every floor of the courthouse and in surrounding buildings.”

Handley said ultimately, five people died because of the blast, while 10 others were injured.

At the time of their deaths, Love was just 35 years old, Wedge was 48 and Hesson, 71.

Handley said the three men are listed on the sign, not in order of rank, but in order of their final sacrifice for the citizens of Mason County. Love died the day of the explosion, Wedge passed away the next day and Hesson succumbed to his injuries on March 9, 1976, Handley said.

While researching the events of that fateful day to present to the legislature for the proposed bridge dedication, Handley said he found a quote by a former pastor of Bellemead Church who spoke at Wedge’s funeral.

The quote: “Wedge gave his life that others might live.”

Handley said, “He then went on to say, we should keep in mind, and think about the men who take that risk everyday.”

Handley thanked and recognized those men and women in law enforcement, both past and present, for serving and protecting citizens. 

Expressing his support of law enforcement was also Mark Sorsaia, cabinet secretary for the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security, who attended Saturday’s dedication.

“How do you gauge the concept of a tragedy?” Sorsaia said, recalling being a child and observing the expressions of his mother following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Silver Bridge Disaster, the Marshall Plane Crash, and how “you can judge a problem by the expression of your parents.”

“When this happened at the jail, I was in high school and again, I was old enough to appreciate the nature of the tragedy, I didn’t have to rely on my mother to give me a clue of how bad it was, but it was unthinkable,” he said. “How could that happen?”

Sorsaia’s remarks, in part, went on to include the following:

“If you watch the news, almost every week there’s some kind of random shooting, three people may die, five people may die, 10 people may die across the country. We have people killing children in elementary schools, and in high schools, and then it’s gone to churches, to synagogues…to other workplace shootings. So, in today’s world, we get angry when we hear about it. We get concerned when we hear about it. We worry when we hear about it, because can it happen to us? Can it happen to us in our community? But, on the way here, I was thinking about this event in 1976 and what people were thinking. I’m sure there was sadness, there was anger and there was bewilderment, because in 1976, people didn’t do stuff like this. In today’s world, we may not be surprised…”

Sorsaia wrapped up his comments regarding showing support for law enforcement officers by stating, in part, “I think it’s very important to remember these individuals who lost their lives and to honor the people who survived it. Because the only thing we can do in today’s world is, we can pray for our law enforcement, we can support our law enforcement…”

Mason County Sheriff Corey Miller opened his remarks with a Bible verse, John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

“Your family’s sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed,” the sheriff said to the relatives of Love, Wedge and Hesson. “It’s something we talk about all the time in the sheriff’s department here in Mason County. It’s tragic history but history nonetheless and we can’t’ forget it.”

Sheriff Miller recognized Marc Kearns, currently a process server with his department who has been in law enforcement in Mason County for many years. Miller said Kearns, who was a dispatcher at the time of the tragedy, knew those affected personally and “was very passionate about keeping their memory alive.”

The sheriff offered prayers for the families and expressed his gratitude to the survivors.

Also recognizing Love, Wedge and Hesson, was Cody Sanders, representing, and delivering remarks on behalf of Congresswoman Carol Miller.

Handley noted the dedication was three years in the making, due to delays attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. He also recognized the work of State Senator Amy Grady for her efforts in the legislature to help pass the resolution.

Grady, a co-sponsor of the legislation passed in 2022, was also in attendance on Saturday. She recounted a call from Handley in 2020 about the proposed bridge dedication. She told those gathered, getting a resolution passed for a bridge naming “is not the easiest of tasks.” She explained legislators see hundreds of them every year and they involve much research to prove the validity of the information, and to prove the bridge should be named after a person(s). She credited Handley with providing all the research that helped form the basis for the resolution which Grady read in full on Saturday.

During the ceremony, Handley also recognized the families of the three men, with a representative from each introducing those gathered in memory of their loved one. Handley also recognized former dispatchers during the time of the jail explosion, Kearns and Duane Will, who were in the audience.

Sorsaia introduced survivors of the explosion, including retired West Virginia State Trooper Mike Smith who was stationed in Mason County at the time of explosion. Sorsaia said Smith was “severely injured” inside the jail and carried on with his career in law enforcement. In attendance with Smith at the ceremony was his brother Mark, who was with the West Virginia State Police and a former Putnam County Sheriff.

Though not in attendance, Sorsaia also recognized others at the jail that night who were injured including former West Virginia State Trooper Lloyd Akers and Bruce Wallace, a member of the Ohio Highway Patrol. Sorsaia also recognized Buck Walls, a Mason County Deputy at the time of the tragedy, who was at Saturday’s ceremony.   

Others in attendance, and additional recognitions, included:

Arlie Matney, district manager, West Virginia Division of Highways, District One (presented commemorative bridge signs to each family);

Brooke Cromley Price (performed The National Anthem);

13^th District Delegate Jonathan Pinson (delivered the invocation);

Judge Anita Ashley and husband Bob Ashley;

County Clerk Diana Cromley;

County Commission President Tracy Doolittle and County Commissioner Sam Nibert;

County Administrator Jason Bechtle;

County Administrative Assistant Kim Harbour (designed the dedication program);

Tanya Handley (bridge dedication ceremony volunteer).

The dedication closed with a special, surprise presentation to Sheriff Wedge’s daughter, Leisa Perry. Handley stated former County Administrator John Gerlach had found Wedge’s badge which was presented to Perry.

“Thank you,” Perry said. “He’d be very proud.

Perry also thanked everyone for attending, and added, “It means a lot.”

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Beth Sergent has nearly 20 years of experience in journalism, having worked as both a reporter and editor. She has a BLA in English from Marshall University, and a certificate in Technical Writing from Duke University. She is a lifelong resident of Point Pleasant, in Mason County.

(Editor’s Note on accessibility: Mason County Extra Edition attempts to use accessible fonts and alternative text for photographs, to be inclusive of all readers.)