Parkersburg man facing kidnapping, assault charges

Joshua Edward Sprouse
PARKERSBURG — A Parkersburg man was arrested on charges of kidnapping and unlawful assault against his girlfriend.
Joshua Edward Sprouse, 43, 814 Neal St., Parkersburg, was arraigned in Wood County Magistrate Court on Friday. He was being held on no bond for the kidnapping charge and $50,000 bond for the unlawful assault charge.
The alleged victim told police she was held against her will at 814 Neal St. in Parkersburg, in the criminal complaint written by Detective A.M. Rickman of the Parkersburg Police Department.
The alleged victim reported she, Sprouse and her children went on a trip to Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 13.
During the trip Sprouse accused the alleged victim of cheating which occurred throughout the trip and when they returned to Parkersburg.
Once home, the two went to the garage where Spouse began striking her in the face with his closed fist and open hand. He continued to hit her and then kicked her.
The alleged victim believed the assault lasted for 30 minutes to an hour, the criminal complaint stated.
“She noticed that Joshua saw her eye swelling and became concerned that their daughter might see it,” the criminal complaint said.
After the incident, the victim, Sprouse and her 2-year-old son left the residence and traveled to Mineral Wells where they met another woman who helped get them a hotel room, because Sprouse did not have a driver’s license and wanted to avoid drawing the attention of hotel employees to the victim’s injuries.
Once in the hotel room, Sprouse stopped attacking her and let her bathe her son. Afterwards, she saw Sprouse laying in bed and she grabbed her son and ran out of the hotel room screaming for help and encountered two housemaids and asked for help.
“However, Joshua comes out into the hallway while she is hiding in a maintenance closet,” the criminal complaint said. “Eventually, a housemaid opens the door, and (the victim) finds herself back with Joshua, who is worried that law enforcement will be contacted.”
He put the victim and her son back in the car, activating the child’s safety locks and rolling up the windows to prevent her from escaping or calling for help. The victim reported Sprouse drove along back roads all night, stopping the car multiple times to hit her.
“At one point, he opens the door and forces her to get into a creek, threatening that if she didn’t get in by herself. the would knock her into it,” the criminal complaint said.
The victim stated they returned to the hotel room around 10 a.m. and eventually returned to 814 Neal St. later that evening, according to the criminal complaint.
On Dec. 18, Sprouse took the victim to a bank to withdraw $2,000. However, the teller refused to give the money because of the victim’s injuries and insisted she come inside.
“Joshua became angry, believing (the victim) had set him up, and he sped off in frustration,” the criminal complaint said.
He began driving around and hitting her again, according to the complaint.
At one point, Sprouse pulled out a brown and white knife and told the victim to pull her tongue out so he could cut it off. She refused, and eventually, they made it back to the house at 814 Neal St.
They went to the garage again and the victim said Sprouse hit her again with an open hand in the face and the legs with a broom that had a silver handle, according to the complaint
The victim stated Sprouse made her pick out a hammer, and she picked out a rubber mallet hammer with a wooden handle. He then made her put her hand out on a desk and struck her with the hammer; he then continued to strike her with an open hand on the head.
The hitting stopped and they fell asleep.
The victim said the following day on Dec. 19, she woke up and grabbed her son, ran out the door, and left the residence in her vehicle.
Due to the injuries to her eyes, she drove to a nearby gas station, where a friend helped take her to her mother’s house.
The victim was picked up by another relative and taken to a hospital in Zanesville.
The criminal complaint stated Sprouse usually would take the victim’s phone so she could not call for help.
“This officer observed severe injuries to (the victim’s face); her right eye was completely shut, while her left eye was partially open,” Rickman wrote. “There was also significant swelling on her left hand and bruising on her forearm.
“(The victim) explained that the injuries were a result of her covering her face while being punched.”
Medical records indicated the victim also had a rib fracture, facial contusion, hand contusion. general contusion and a perforated eardrum, the complaint said.
The victim stated Sprouse was using methamphetamines.
Sprouse is being held at the North Central Regional Jail.