PARKERSBURG - Parkersburg police made seven DUI arrests over the weekend and offer advice to those celebrating the holidays today.
The number of driving-under-the-influence arrests in Parkersburg for the year is at 184, said Sgt. Greg Collins with the Parkersburg Police Department.
One woman was arrested twice, according to police records. All arraignments will be on hold until Wood County Magistrate Court reopens on Wednesday, police said.
Emily Laine Jessup, 25, 509 23rd St., Vienna, was allegedly found passed out inside a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero in the McDonald's drive-thru in south Parkersburg Saturday around midnight, police said. Jessup was taken into custody and charged with DUI of a controlled substance. According to police records, she was processed at police headquarters, issued a citation and released to sober individuals.
About 2:40 a.m. Saturday, Jessup was allegedly found sitting in the driver's seat of a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven, 1601 Seventh St. Jessup allegedly failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken into custody and transported to headquarters for processing.
While being processed, Jessup allegedly admitted to taking prescription medication, police said. Jessup was again charged with DUI of a controlled substance and placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
Fact Box
Staying Safe over the Holidays
Police encourage residents to stay safe over the holidays and offered tips on how to do so:
* Place opened boxes in trash cans, dumpsters or take them to a recycling bin.
* Do not advertise empty boxes with writing giving away the item that may be in the home by placing the boxes outside the home.
* Report suspicious behavior including prowlers or unwanted people in alleys or on streets.
* Leave lights on when visiting family to make thieves hesitant to break in and steal new Christmas items.
* Limit the consumption of alcohol and never drive while under the influence.
Gabriel Wesley Landis, 28, 1702 Staunton Ave., Parkersburg, allegedly left the parking lot of Wild Suzi's in a 1998 Dodge without his headlights on Saturday around midnight. Landis was stopped in the 900 block of Latrobe Street, police said.
Officials said Landis had glassy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. He failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken into custody and transported to headquarters where police said he refused to submit to a test on the Intoximeter. Landis was charged with first-offense DUI and placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
Freddie Thomas Ricks III, 42, 839 Fairview Ave., Parkersburg, was arrested for first-offense DUI on Sunday around 1 a.m., according to police records. Officers said they observed a 2004 Dodge traveling east on Seventh Street near Latrobe Street, going left of center and braking erratically.
Upon stopping the vehicle, Ricks had glassy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol, police said. Ricks failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken into custody and transported to headquarters for processing. Ricks tested a 0.117 on the Intoximeter. Ricks was placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
David Nicholas Echard, 29, 27 Selmar Lane, Parkersburg, was arrested for second-offense DUI around 1:25 a.m. Sunday. Echard was traveling west on Seventh Street at a high rate of speed in a 2007 Chevrolet Impala when officers conducted a traffic stop in the 1600 block of 13th Street. Police said they observed the smell of alcohol.
Echard allegedly exited the vehicle unsteady, with glassy, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken into custody and transported to headquarters for processing. According to police reports, he tested a 0.244 on the Intoximeter and was found to have a DUI conviction in Wood County on Oct. 26. He was placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
Jeremy Burgin Green, 32, 1607 19th St., Parkersburg, was arrested for first-offense DUI and driving on a suspended license around 3:45 a.m. Sunday. According to police records, Green almost struck a Parkersburg police cruiser with his 1999 Toyota Camry in the 1600 block of Seventh Street.
Upon a traffic stop, officers said Green smelled of alcohol and had "glassy, bloodshot" eyes. He was placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
Lance Thomas Gordon, 49, 2810 Frame Drive, Belpre, was arrested Sunday around midnight for first-offense DUI. Gordon was stopped in a 2007 Volkswagen near Camden and Neal streets for speeding, drifting in the traffic lane and failing to signal. According to police reports, he smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. He tested a 0.109 on the Intoximeter, admitting to drinking and was unsteady while exiting his vehicle, officials said. He was placed in the Wood County Holding Center to await arraignment.
