BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A Beckley woman is facing serious charges after a single-vehicle crash on the 1500 block of Harper Road revealed she had allegedly been driving drunk with a one-year-old child in the back seat.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the driver, Makaya Duncan, lying on the ground next to a gray Jeep with West Virginia registration. EMS was tending to her while Beckley Fire Department personnel were checking on the toddler, who was secured in a child safety seat.
Inside the vehicle, officers discovered multiple open and empty containers of alcohol, including bottles of Fireball and New Amsterdam vodka. Police observed Duncan showing clear signs of impairment: slurred speech, the smell of alcohol on her breath, flushed skin, droopy eyelids, and confusion.
Field sobriety tests confirmed Duncan’s impairment. According to police, she struggled to stand, staggered during the walk-and-turn test, and displayed signs of intoxication throughout all evaluations. A roadside breath test revealed a blood alcohol content (BrAC) of .245 — over three times the legal limit.
Duncan was arrested at the scene without incident. Her brother arrived shortly after to take custody of the child and the vehicle.
At the Beckley Police Department, Duncan submitted to a secondary chemical test, which returned a BrAC of .216. She declined to answer further questions without legal counsel. After being medically cleared at a local hospital, Duncan was transported to Southern Regional Jail to await arraignment.
Duncan is being charged with:
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Driving Under the Influence with an Unemancipated Minor (under 16)
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Child Neglect Creating Risk of Death or Serious Injury
