FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A routine patrol early Saturday morning led to the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the arrest of a woman now facing felony charges, according to police.
At approximately 12:37 a.m. on March 14, 2026, Patrolman S.A. Gunnoe was monitoring traffic along U.S. Route 19 near Maple Lane when he spotted a black Ford Taurus traveling southbound that matched the description of a vehicle reported stolen the night before.
The vehicle—a 2004 black Ford Taurus—had been reported stolen on March 13 following an incident in Fayetteville, with the case previously investigated by Patrolman First Class J.P. Hannigan and Patrolman D.W. Bell. The vehicle’s description and license plate had been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
After observing the vehicle, Patrolman Gunnoe pulled onto Route 19 and confirmed that the make, model, and license plate matched the stolen vehicle report. Officers then initiated a traffic stop, activating emergency lights.
Police detained all three occupants of the vehicle without incident. The driver was identified as Holly Faye Lykins, 42.
According to authorities, Lykins told officers she had been picked up earlier in the day by Christin Taylor, 41, who had been identified as a suspect in the original stolen vehicle report. The two reportedly traveled to Taylor’s mother’s residence before picking up a third individual, Scottie Garten, 51, in Gauley Bridge. The group then headed toward Fayetteville.
Lykins told officers she began driving the vehicle during the trip despite not having a valid driver’s license. However, statements from the other occupants indicated that Taylor had asked Lykins to drive during a stop along Beckwith Road.
During the investigation, officers also learned that Lykins had allegedly been in contact with the vehicle’s owner, Laura Cavendish, after the car had been reported stolen. Investigators say this suggests Lykins may have been aware the vehicle was stolen at the time she was driving it.
Based on the findings, Lykins was charged with transporting or receiving a stolen vehicle.
