WVSP arrest man driving intoxicated with 4-year-old in vehicle

MADISON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Boone County man faces multiple charges following an incident last week in which he was determined to have been driving intoxicated with a 4-year-old child inside the vehicle.

According to Boone County Magistrate Court documents, Kenneth Spears – 39 years old of Madison, WV – was involved in a traffic stop on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at approximately 3:00pm.

Senior Trooper Shafer of the West Virginia State Police conducted the traffic stop after observing a black KIA SUV traveling on Route 17 toward the Madison area near the Route 85 Intersection. The vehicle could be observed to have a busted windshield and expired inspection sticker.

Senior Trooper Shafer approached the vehicle after it was stopped at a Go-Mart gas station and detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the breath of the vehicle’s driver after speaking with him.

The officer noted watery eyes and a “distant” look while speaking with the suspect, who struggled to stand on a flat concrete surface. The driver noted he had had one alcoholic beverage prior to driving along with multiple prescribed and controlled medications. The driver’s 4-year-old son could be observed in the back seat of the vehicle.

Spears was placed under arrested and transported to Boone Memorial Hospital where the suspect would partake in a voluntary blood draw. The suspect was then transported to the Danville WVSP detachment for processing.