SPARKS

MILL CREEK — A Randolph County man faces felony charges after police allegedly found fentanyl in his vehicle in 2025 and after he allegedly conspired to flee from police in May.

Robert Michael Sparks, 45, of Huttonsville, is charged with one count of driving revoked DUI third offense, one count of possession with intent to deliver and one count of conspiracy, all felonies. Sparks is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Trooper H.J. Bonetti with the West Virginia State Police, on Nov. 22, 2025, Bonetti was conducting road patrol on US-219 in Mill Creek when he observed Spark’s vehicle to have a loud exhaust.

Bonetti activated his emergency overhead lights and attempted to perform a traffic stop, the complaint states. Sparks stopped the vehicle in the parking lot of the Mill Creek Town Hall and Bonetti allegedly observed Sparks running from the driver side of the vehicle in-between the Town Hall and another residence. Bonetti also observed a Pizza and Sub Shoppe pizza box and salad with the name “Sparks” in the vehicle. Trooper T.J. Sclimenti obtained video surveillance footage of Sparks picking up the food and getting into the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Bonetti ran the vehicle’s registration though Elkins West Virginia State Police Communications, who advised that the registration was stolen and belonged to a different type of vehicle, the complaint states. Sclimenti conducted a vehicle search and reportedly did not observed an insurance card. Sclimenti did observe a purple container in the driver’s side door of the vehicle. The container had a jar with a “white in color powder substance suspected to be fentanyl,” a baggie also with a “white in color powder substance suspected to be fentanyl,” a spoon and a scale. Bonetti weighted the jar and baggie at 16.40 grams.

Communications advised that Sparks allegedly had his license revoked for DUI with two prior convictions from 2004 and 2008, the complaint states.

In a second criminal complaint filed by Bonetti, on May 5, Bonetti was patrolling Mill Creek when he observed a vehicle parked at Bob’s Mini Mart.

Bonetti writes that he had prior knowledge that the vehicle’s owner had ties with Sparks, “who had multiple felony warrants,” the complaint states. Bonetti allegedly positively identified Sparks in the passenger seat of the vehicle. When Bonetti exited his patrol vehicle and attempted to make contact with the driver and Sparks, the driver allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and then drove forward behind Bob’s Mini Mart and through the car wash, coming out on Helvetia Pike.

Returning to his vehicle, Bonetti activated his emergency overhead lights and attempted to perform a traffic stop, but the other vehicle failed to yield, the complaint states. The other vehicle drove through the Bob’s Mini Mart parking lot from Helvetia Pike to allegedly gain access to US-219. Bonetti pursued the vehicle for approximately six minutes, during which, the other vehicle allegedly traveled 68 miles per hour in a posted 40 miles per hour zone and passed the Tygart Valley High School, which is a posted 15 miles per hour zone, while school was in session.

The other vehicle came to a stop near a residence in Huttonsville, the complaint states. The driver and Sparks allegedly both fled on foot. Bonetti writes that both men conspired to flee.