GALLIPOLIS — Bond has been set and charges have been filed against a man accused of shooting and seriously injuring a Gallipolis Police Officer during the early morning hours of Monday, September 24.

Cole Creighton Miller, 28, was arraigned on Monday in the Gallipolis Municipal Court and charged with attempted aggravated murder, felonious assault and aggravated burglary.

Miller was arrested at approximately 1 a.m. on Monday after multiple law enforcement agencies arrived to his residence on McCormick Road after word went out that an officer had been shot.

At approximately 12:37 a.m. on Monday, the Gallia County 911 Center received a call from an individual residing at an apartment complex located at 1815 McCormick Road just outside the Gallipolis City limits. The caller advised dispatchers that a neighbor had become agitated and had confronted the caller with a gun.

Prior to the 911 call, the neighbor had reportedly shot a car belonging to the caller.

Due to the proximity of the residence to the City of Gallipolis, a unit with the Gallipolis Police Department was dispatched to the residence until a deputy with the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, en route from the southern portion of the county, could arrive on scene.

All available Gallia County Sheriff’s Deputies had been dispatched earlier that evening to a meth-lab related incident in Ohio Township.

Upon their arrival at the suspect’s residence, the Gallipolis Police Officers were fired upon by the assailant, later identified as Miller.

Police Officer Jamie Bartels was wounded in the incident and was transported to the Holzer Medical Center Emergency Room, and, later, to Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W.Va, where he remains in serious condition.

According to officials, Bartels was wounded in the shoulder and upper torso area.

Miller was taken into custody by additional law enforcement officers who quickly arrived on scene.

During Monday’s hearing before Gallipolis Municipal Judge Margaret Evans, Miller was present with his defense counselor William Eachus. Gallia County Prosecutor Jeff Adkins appeared on behalf of the state.

Miller’s bond was set at $1 million, 10 percent.

A preliminary hearing to show probable cause for indictment will be held on Tuesday, October 2, in the Gallipolis Municipal Court.

Following the hearing, it is expected that this case will be bound over to the Common Pleas Court of Gallia County where it will be heard by a grand jury.

During a special meeting on Tuesday night, the Gallipolis City Commission discussed their efforts to support the Bartels family in their extended stay in Huntington, W.Va.

“I talked to his mother last night and she is just so thankful to all of us and the support and prayers that we have sent to Huntington,” Gallipolis City Commission President Jay Cremeens said. “She says she is being very well accommodated and I said, ‘you won’t have a want for anything, and if you can’t get a hold of Randy [Finney, City Manager], then you call me, and we’ll accommodate you.’”

“[Bartels] is indeed our friend, he’s our employee and he’s an exemplary officer, and we take care of our own,” he said.

Additionally, the Gallipolis Police Department has established an account to offer assistance to the family of Patrolman Jamie Bartles.

According to Lt. Matt Champlin of the Gallipolis Police Department, the account has been established to assist with expenses while Bartels recovers from his injuries.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the area communities for their outpouring of support during this traumatic event,” Champlin said on behalf of the department. “We would like to say a special thank you to the Huntington Police Department and the West Virginia State Police for the support that they’ve offered our agency, Jamie and his family while in Huntington.”

Anyone wishing to make donations to Officer Bartles and his family can visit any local WesBanco branch and donate to the Jamie Bartles Fund. Donations can also be mailed to WesBanco, 500 Third Avenue, Gallipolis, Ohio 45631.

When mailing, a note or a designation should be included to indicate that the donation should be applied to the Ptl. Bartels fund.