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BELINGTON -- A Barbour County man is facing charges after allegedly driving with a blood alcohol content level three times over the legal limit and causing an accident that injured two elderly people.
Dayton Lee Isenhart, 22, of Philippi, is charged with one count of DUI with injury and one count of aggravated DUI, both misdemeanors. Isenhart was being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $10,000 10% cash bond that has since been posted.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Deputy Aaron M. Gould with the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, on July 16, Gould responded to a 911 call reporting a two-vehicle motor vehicle collision in front of the GoMart located in Belington.
Upon arrival, Gould made contact with Deputy Boise, who had spoken with the driver, identified as Isenhart, regarding the circumstances of the collision, the complaint states. Isenhart said he was attempting to pull out of the GoMart parking lot when he struck another vehicle on its side. The two elderly occupants of the other vehicle sustained injuries in the collision and were transported by EMS to Davis Medical Center in Elkins for evaluation and treatment.
While speaking to Isenhart himself, Gould reportedly detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and person, the complaint states. Based on officers’ observations, Isenhart was asked if he would voluntarily perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), which Isenhart consented to do. Upon completion of the tests, Isenhart allegedly exhibited clues of impairment during the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, the Walk-and-Turn and One-Leg Stand tests.
“Based on the totality of the circumstances, including (Isenhart’s) involvement in a motor vehicle collision, the odor of an alcoholic beverage and his performance on the SFSTs, probable cause was established to believe (Isenhart) had operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol,” Gould wrote in the complaint. “(Isenhart) was subsequently placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence.”
Following Isenhart’s arrest, Gould administered a Preliminary Breath Test, the complaint states. Isenhart alleged provided a breath sample that resulted in a reading of 0.244 BAC, approximately three times the legal limit of 0.08. Isenhart then reportedly consented to submitting a blood draw, which was sent to the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory for analysis.