On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at approximately 8:10 a.m. Cpl. J.B. Hunt was contacted by Calhoun Control and advised that a person reported that they were following a white in color vehicle on WV Route 16, South Calhoun Hwy, near Wolf Run Road. The driver was driving erratically even hitting the guardrail several times. They gave the license number to 911 and through WVSP Communications in South Charleston it revealed that this was a white in color 2012 Toyota Corolla.
Cpl. Hunt observed a vehicle matching this description traveling south on WV Route 16, South Calhoun Hwy just north of Rush Run Road. He traveled south on WV Route 16, South Calhoun Hwy observing the vehicle stop at the intersection of South Calhoun Hwy and Wolf Run Road pulling out into the south bound lane of traffic, stopping with its hood still in the roadway. Cpl. Hunt traveled past this vehicle turning in the nearest driveway traveling north to execute at traffic stop, catching up with the vehicle on Brannon straight. The vehicle was weaving from the yellow center line to white fog line serval times nearly striking a south bound vehicle. Upon reaching Crummies Creek Hunt executed a traffic stop on this vehicle.
As the driver attempted to pull over at the Burdine residence the vehicle nearly traveled into a ditch between South Calhoun Hwy.
Upon reaching the driver’s window, the drive, James E. Howard Jr., appeared to be intoxicated with his eyes being bloodshot and glassy and his speech being slurred as well as the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting for the accused breath. Call Hunt asked the Howard to take series of three field sobriety test that included the Horizonal Gaze Nystagmus, the Walk and Turn, and the One leg Stand Test, he failed all three.
While Cpl. Hunt was retrieving a Preliminary Breath Test from his assigned vehicle the accused fell into the ditch requiring the undersigned officer to assist him to his feet. Howard was given the Preliminary Breath Test with the results to this test being greater than .080 blood alcohol content. James E. Howard was placed under arrest for DUI and transported to the Calhoun County 911 Center where the accusedwas given the lntoximeter Test. The results of this test were .256 blood alcohol content. He was then taken to WV Central Regional Jail.
