Grand jury indicts Culpeper police officer in February shooting

Late Tuesday, a special investigative grand jury convened in Culpeper County handed up a four-count indictment against the Town of Culpeper Police Officer involved in the Feb. 9 fatal shooting of a Culpeper County woman.

Daniel Harmon-Wright, 32, of Gainesville, has been charged with one count of murder, malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle, malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle resulting in a death, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

The special investigative grand jury was convened at the request of the special prosecutor appointed to the case, Fauquier County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Fisher.

“Without commenting on the particulars of the investigation, over the course of the month of May, this special investigative grand jury heard from more than 45 witnesses, received more than 100 separate exhibits and were presented with reams of documentary evidence,” said Fisher.

The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. Feb. 9, 2012, when the officer became engaged with the driver of a Jeep Wrangler in the 300 block of North East Street in the Town of Culpeper. During the encounter, the driver, Patricia A. Cook, 54, of Culpeper, was shot by the officer. Cook died at the scene.

The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Culpeper Field Office’s Police Shooting Investigation Team conducted the investigation at the request of the Town of Culpeper Police chief.