A Buckhannon woman faces multiple felony charges after allegedly fleeing from a deputy and crashing into a tree early Tuesday morning, according to a press release from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
Alexis Ann Sothen was charged with fleeing from law enforcement in a motor vehicle while under the influence, a felony; fleeing from law enforcement with reckless indifference, a felony; driving while license revoked for DUI, third offense, a felony; and fleeing from law enforcement on foot.
On Tuesday, January 13, at approximately 1:31 a.m., Deputy R.T. Lamb “responded to the area of Fayette Street in Buckhannon, Upshur County, West Virginia, to assist the Buckhannon Police Department with an active E911 call reporting a domestic violence incident involving multiple individuals,” the release states.
The caller reported that a woman “wearing pink shorts and a pink shirt” was “attempting to leave the scene in a white minivan and was under the influence of alcohol,” according to the release.
Lamb observed a white 2003 Chevrolet Venture minivan “backing out of an alley from Fayette Street onto Marion Street before turning onto Pocahontas Street,” the release states. “The vehicle attempted to stop and struck the curb, then accelerated across the roadway and struck another curb.”
Lamb attempted to initiate a traffic stop by activating his emergency lights; however, the vehicle accelerated down Pocahontas Street, according to the release.
The vehicle “ran a stop sign while turning right onto Ritchie Street, then ran another stop sign while turning left onto Camden Avenue,” the release states. “The motor vehicle then struck the median curb while turning onto Camden Avenue, jumped the curb again, and directly struck a tree located on the median of Camden Avenue.”
Sothen, “who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, exited and fled on foot down Camden Avenue away from the crash before being detained,” the release states.
Upon contact, Lamb “detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from the suspect’s person” and “observed the suspect to have slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes,” according to the release. “A search of the motor vehicle resulted in the discovery of multiple empty alcoholic containers inside the vehicle.”
A witness allegedly told Lamb that Sothen “was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana,” the release states.
Sothen was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital by Upshur County EMS before being medically cleared and transported to Tygart Valley Regional Jail to await arraignment. She had not been arraigned as of Tuesday afternoon.
