PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — 36-year-old Princeton resident Roy Charles Whittaker was arrested on October 5, 2023 for leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury.

According to Lieutenant Steven Sommers with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Mercer County Deputies responded to a motorcycle on fire with the driver over an embankment at the intersection of Gardner Road and Rocky Branch Road on October 5, 2023.

The driver was removed from the woods by Lt. S. J. Cary, Sgt. J. D. Ellison, Cpl. L. L. Addair, and the Princeton Rescue Squad. The driver was then taken to Princeton Hospital before being airlifted to Charleston Area Medical Center.

During the initial investigation, they discovered that the motorcycle was hit by another car that left the scene. Detective-Corporal M. T. Hatfield assisted with the investigation due to the type of crime.

With the public’s help, Deputies were able to find the car that left Rocky Branch
Road, and discovered the driver of the car to be Roy Whittaker. Whittaker was found and taken into custody.

Corporal L. L. Addair and Detective-Corporal M. T. Hatfield are the lead investigators. The investigation was a combined effort with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.