Mercer County, WV (WOAY) A man is facing DUI and child neglect charges in Mercer County.
According to a criminal complaint, on July 2, officers were dispatched to mile marker 9 southbound on I77 responding to reports of a man slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle.
Upon arrival, authorities discovered a blue GMC truck on the right shoulder of the road with an unresponsive driver at the wheel.
The vehicle was still running with the doors locked.
An officer knocked on the driver’s window several times without response and noticed a teenage girl in the back seat who appeared visibly frightened.
Authorities attempted to speak with the juvenile, but she would not respond.
The officer returned to the driver’s side of the vehicle to continue knocking on the window, and after several minutes, the driver opened his eyes and unlocked the door.
Upon opening the door, the officer reported smelling alcohol and observed an almost empty bottle of liquor in the driver’s door.
Authorities asked the driver if he had been drinking, and the driver confirmed that he had been drinking the previous day.
The driver stated that the girl in the backseat was his 16-year-old daughter who has special needs, is on multiple medications, and is nonverbal.
An ambulance transported the teen to Princeton Community Hospital for evaluation.
Officers detained the suspect, identified as 40-year-old John Paul Jones, who agreed to and failed a field sobriety and a breathalyzer test, which returned a result of .155.
He was arrested and charged with DUI and child neglect causing risk of injury.
Jones awaits further court proceedings in Southern Regional Jail on a $10,000 cash bail.
