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ELKINS – A Randolph County man is facing two separate felony charges after allegedly driving with a revoked license and stealing a woman’s vehicle.
Ricky Ray Seabolt, 60, of Elkins, is charged with one count of driving revoked third offense, a felony. He has also been separately charged with one count of grand larceny, also a felony. Seabolt is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on an $8,000 cash-only bond.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Trooper Thomas J. Sclimenti with the West Virginia State Police Elkins Detachment, on Aug. 15, Sclimenti was conducting a routine road patrol in the area of Gilman Road in Elkins.
During this patrol, Sclimenti observed a silver Hyundai with no registration plate, the complaint states. Sclimenti knew this vehicle as he had previously seized the registration for improper display, and he reportedly knew it to be involved in drug activity.
When Sclimenti conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, the driver was identified as Seabolt, who reportedly stated he did not have his drivers license on his person and provided a Virginia Operator License Number (OLN). Seabolt allegedly told Sclimenti that he had bought the vehicle from someone who is reportedly not the registered owner of the vehicle.
Seabolt also allegedly said he did not acquire insurance for the vehicle; however, Sclimenti writes in the complaint that he knew the vehicle was not insured prior to Seabolt taking possession of it. The vehicle also reportedly did not have a West Virginia Motor Vehicle Inspection sticker, and the Vehicle Identification Number did not have a West Virginia Registration associated to it. Sclimenti issued Seabolt citations based on these issues.
On Sept. 7, Sclimenti was informed of a stolen vehicle located in Mill Creek that had been driven by Seabolt, the complaint states. When Sclimenti requested Elkins State Police Communication locate Seabolt’s OLN, he was reportedly told that Seabolt’s license had been revoked for DUI since the 1990s. Sclimenti then requested a certified driver’s history for Seabolt. On Sept. 17, Sclimenti received that history, which allegedly showed that Seabolt’s license was revoked for DUI with an indefinite date. It also showed that Seabolt had three prior convictions for driving revoked from 2000, 2004 and 2005.
Sclimenti charged Seabolt with one count of driving revoked third offense.
According to a separate criminal complaint, filed by Deputy Connor D. Waldron with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 30, Waldron spoke with a woman in regard to her vehicle being stolen.
The alleged victim stated that her vehicle, a silver Ford Escape, was at another residence to be worked on, but she had seen her vehicle being driven through Elkins, the complaint states. She provided Waldron with the title of the vehicle, which showed her as the owner. When the alleged victim contacted the person she left her car with, she was advised that Seabolt had possession of the vehicle and was driving it around Randolph County. The alleged victim said she attempted to contact Seabolt to get her vehicle back “numerous times” through Facebook Messenger, but she never received a response.
On the same date, Waldron spoke to the person the alleged victim left her car with, who reportedly stated that Seabolt had been working on the vehicle at his residence, the complaint states. The witness also stated Seabolt had allegedly claimed the silver Ford Escape was his.
Waldron was then pointed in the direction of a residence in Montrose where Seabolt was known to be staying at. The owner of that residence reportedly confirmed that Seabolt had been there, but only to take the tires from the owner’s vehicle, which was also a Ford Escape, according to the complaint. The owner also confirmed that Seabolt was in possession of a silver Ford Escape. Another witness at the Montrose residence told Waldron that he had also allegedly seen Seabolt driving a silver Ford Escape, but he did not know Seabolt to have ever possessed a vehicle before.
On Sept. 7, Waldron was made aware of a Facebook post regarding Seabolt made by a local couple, the complaint states. The post allegedly depicts a male believed to be Seabolt at the couple’s residence. When Waldron spoke to one of them, he was reportedly told that Seabolt arrived and left the residence in a silver Ford Escape. Waldon was also told that Seabolt was only occupant of the vehicle.
The next day, on Sept. 8, the West Virginia State Police located the stolen silver Ford Escape at a residence in Mill Creek, the complaint states. The residence owner allegedly confirmed the vehicle had been in Seabolt’s possession. A West Virginia Registration that was not assigned to the vehicle was also found on it. Waldron writes that, according to Kelly Blue Book, the approximately value of the Ford Escape is between $1,200 and $2,500. Another vehicle value website, Edmunds, placed the value of the vehicle at $2,000.
Waldron charged Seabolt with one count of grand larceny.