On Tuesday January 14th, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Calhoun County 911 Dispatch received a phone call from a witness who had followed a red in color 2023 Jeep Compass bearing a Mississippi Registration from Arnoldsburg, WV along WV Rt. 16 to Grantsville, WV. The witness stated that the vehicle was all over the roadway the entire time and was jerking back and forth crossing the median into the oncoming lane, and that she followed the vehicle all the way to Gino’s and into the restuarant. When the witness got to Gino’s she observed two small children step out of the same red Jeep with a female that looked like the mother of these children. The witness stated that the female seemed to be under the influence and was nodding off while sitting at a booth.
On the same date, at approximately 2:32 p.m., Senior Trooper J.D. Richards and CPL. S. W. Perdue along with Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputies C Stephens and H Stephens arrived on scene. While on scene, the Trooper spoke with the witness who restated what she had told Dispatch. Trooper Richards observed the female that had been identified as the driver with two small children sitting in a booth. The Trooper also observed the female driver jerking her body and nodding off while sitting in the booth speaking with the Officers. The hygiene of the female was such that she had sores on her face which, from the Trooper’s training and experience, he knew to be commonly associated with usage of illegal substances. It was also observed by the Trooper that she had slowed, slurred speech.
The female was identified as Abby Jolynn Sutphin. Ms. Sutphin was unsteady on her feet when asked to stand up and was asked if she had taken anything that would cause her to be impaired. Ms. Sutphin stated that she had taken Suboxone and had used Methamphetamine the night prior. On the same date, Ms. Sutphin consented to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests along with Additional ARIDE Tests to determine if she was impaired. The results of these tests were that she was unable completed them as required.
While the Trooper was conducting the Field Sobriety, it was determined that the young juveniles were the children of Ms. Sutphin.
Sutphin was taken into custody at 2:45 p.m. on January 14th, 2025 by Sr. Trooper Richards and charged with two counts of Gross Child Neglect and Creating a Risk of Serious bodily injury. She is currently being held in the West Virginia Central Regional Jail on $50,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing has been set for January 23, 2025 in Calhoun Magistrate Court.
