ELKINS — A Randolph County man has entered a plea agreement that lowered one of two felony charges to a misdemeanor for the Jan. 19 wreck that resulted in two Randolph County Sheriff’s deputies being injured.

James Brice Scott, 20, of Valley Head, pleaded guilty in Randolph County Circuit Court to one count of driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, a felony, and one count of driving under the influence causing bodily injury, a misdemeanor.

In July, Scott was initially indicted on two counts of driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury. He was also indicted for one count of driving under the influence with minors in the vehicle, one count of reckless driving, one count of operating a motor vehicle exceeding speed limitations, and one count of failure to maintain control, all misdemeanors.

When asked by Randolph County Circuit Court Judge David Wilmoth what he did that made him guilty of the two charges, Scott explained he had been with his former partner when her grandmother was sent to the hospital.

Scott said his former partner’s brother woke him up to drive him to the hospital as the situation had become an emergency. Scott told the court he had been drinking prior to his nap. He explained that, while driving back to Valley Head from the hospital, he was behind an ambulance that turned on their back lights. Scott said he was blinded by the lights and could not see, so he passed the ambulance.

“Of course, it aggravated me, so when I come through there… I never seen any headlights or anything, and next thing I know, the only thing that I seen was the Sheriff sign on the side of the car,” Scott told the court. “I hit the brakes and I hit a patch of ice, and whenever I hit the brakes the vehicle would not slow down and the accident occurred.”

Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Parker informed the court of the factual basis for the case, stating that, on Jan. 19 at approximately 4:10 a.m, West Virginia State Trooper N.R. Hall responded to a two-vehicle accident.

Parker said that, when Hall arrived, he was informed that the driver, identified as Scott, appeared to be intoxicated. When Hall spoke with Scott, he noted that Scott had “bloodshot and watery eyes.” Hall administered sobriety tests on Scott and observed signs of impairment in Scott, and Scott informed Hall that he had “consumed approximately six Michelob Ultras.”

As a result of the accident, Parker said Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Deputy B.M. Roy sustained a mid-shaft left femur fracture, “with deformity of the leg,” as well as an inferior patellar tendon fracture. Parker noted that Deputy A.B. Beverly, who was also in the vehicle with Roy, initially presented symptoms of a “post head injury.”

“I think (Beverly) was wandering around on the side of the road, not really with all his faculties as a result of this accident,” Parker told the court as he explained both deputies’ injuries. “This shows us the basis for those two specific charges (in the plea). First, felony count as to Deputy Roy, and misdemeanor count as to Deputy Beverly.”

According to the criminal complaint filed against Scott, Roy and Beverly were transported to Davis Medical Center. Beverly was treated and released, while Roy underwent surgery for the fractured femur, resulting in him being off from work for some time.

A sentencing hearing for Scott has been scheduled for Dec. 3.