FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Fayette County man is facing multiple charges after a reckless driving incident that endangered children and left him passed out behind the wheel.
Deputy D. Shreve of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call Friday evening reporting a reckless driver who had crashed into a ditch, struck property and a parked vehicle, and nearly hit children playing near the road in Charlton Heights.
The driver, identified as Charles Thompson, reportedly continued driving after the initial crash before pulling off into a nearby yard, where a witness said he slumped over the steering wheel and fell asleep.
Upon arrival, Deputy Shreve found Thompson unconscious in his vehicle. After several attempts, the deputy woke him, immediately noting a strong smell of alcohol and severely slurred speech. When instructed to step out of the vehicle, Thompson struggled to understand commands and was unable to stand on his own. He admitted to drinking “too much booze,” apologized, and said he had “messed up.”
Thompson repeatedly refused to perform field sobriety tests and had to be physically carried to the cruiser due to his extreme intoxication. At the sheriff’s office, he consented to a secondary breath test.
Authorities later discovered Thompson was already out on bond for a previous DUI arrest earlier this month on June 9, 2025.
Thompson has been charged with:
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DUI – First Offense (Misdemeanor)
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Reckless Driving (Misdemeanor)