Herron

ELKINS — A Mercer County man faces a felony charge in Randolph County after allegedly driving on a revoked license despite “multiple” guilty pleas for similar offenses.

Joseph Patrick Herron, 42, of Bluefield, is charged with one count of third-offense driving while license revoked, a felony. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $5,000 cash-only bond.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Trooper T.J. Sclimenti with the West Virginia State Police, on March 29, Sclimenti observed a vehicle with a damaged West Virginia registration traveling north on U.S. 219 in Elkins.

Sclimenti performed a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of Old Parson’s Road, the complaint states. Herron was identified as the operator of the vehicle. Sclimenti also identified Herron to allegedly have a valid license with an active revocation for DUI through Police Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System. Unable to confirm Herron’s operators license on that date, Sclimenti issued a citation for driving revoked pending a certified driver’s history from the DMV. Herron was allegedly directed to obtain a ride and refrain from driving until his license was fixed.

Sclimenti writes that he did not observe an interlock device in the vehicle. Herron allegedly told Sclimenti that that his license “should be good” and did not mention an interlock restriction. Later, when Sclimenti received Herron’s certified driver’s history, he observed that Herron has a current interlock restriction.

Herron reportedly has one prior conviction for third offense driving revoked from 2019, the complaint states. He also reportedly has “multiple” guilty pleas for driving revoked.

A preliminary hearing for Herron was set for May 4 in Randolph County Magistrate Court; however, according to the Magistrate Court, Herron waived the time for his hearing, opting for it to be continued at a later date.