Trooper J. D. Richards filed a complain in the Magistrate Court of Calhoun stating that on or about Sunday, May 21st, 2023 at approximately 6:30 p.m. while conducting routine road patrol on WV R.t 16 SB in the area of Arnoldsburg, he observed a red in color Dodge Caravan weaving in it’s lane, traveling at varied speeds and crossing the double yellow line on at least three (3)occasions. He then commenced operation of the overhead emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle came to rest approximately 25 miles south of the intersection of Crummies Creek Rd. and S. Calhoun Hwy. Trooper Richards made contact with the driver, Carolyn Louise Carpenter, 73 years old noticing that the odor of marijuana was emanating from the cab of the vehicle and that Ms. Carpenter had slurred speech, was disoriented, uncoordinated, was excited, and had dry mouth. At times she was confused. She also had bloodshot watery eyes, raspy voice, facial itching, body tremors, eyelid tremors, two (2) open containers in the back seat, and admitted to Trooper Richards that she had smoked marijuana prior to the stop in the morning. Upon these observation the Trooper asked the accused to step out to perform SFST’s or Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and an additional ARIDE Tests. Following the administering of the sobriety tests Trooper Richards determined that Carpenter was in fact impaired.
Carpenter was taken into custody on the charges of Left of Center and DUI-1st (Drugs). The accused’s vehicle was towed and after a search of the person of Ms. Carpenter Trooper Richards found a half-smoked “roach” in the accused’s carton of cigarettes. The defendant was transported to the WVSP Grantsville Detachment for a secondary chemical test of the accused’s breath. This Trooper presented the accused with an implied consent form to which she was read and signed. This test was administered it came back as a refusal with the accused supplying insufficient air-flow all times and on one occasion trying to suck through the tube instead of blow. After this, the accused was offered a blood waiver, and upon signing, Trooper Richards transported the accused to Minnie Hamilton Health System in Grantsville for a Blood draw. A blood draw affidavit was subsequently filled out by staff, and once the blood draw was complete the accused was transported back to the WVSP Grantsville Detachment to be processed.
Carpenter was taken to the West Virginia Central Regional Jail but has since been released.
