BUCKHANNON – A motorcycle accident involving a 10-year-old boy left him seriously injured on June 16 at approximately 5:35 p.m.
Authorities said David Charles Blagg, 31, of Buckhannon, faces felony charges including child neglect with serious injury and leaving the scene of an accident. He is currently held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $35,000 cash-only bond.
According to the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, two witnesses reported Blagg was riding the motorcycle on Crescent Avenue with the child, who was allowed to operate the throttle. This led to a crash that threw both occupants from the vehicle.
The boy sustained severe injuries, including deep abrasions to his back, facial abrasions, and three broken ribs. He was transported to Ruby Memorial Trauma Center in Morgantown. Neither he nor Blagg was wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
Witnesses reported Blagg fled the scene after retrieving the motorcycle, leaving the injured child behind. Police later located Blagg at the boy’s residence, where video surveillance showed him attempting to start the motorcycle after it crashed into a garage door.
Blagg allegedly admitted to police that he allowed the juvenile to ride the motorcycle. Furthermore, the motorcycle’s registration was found to be altered, and Blagg’s driver’s license is currently revoked due to a DUI. The motorcycle was also uninsured and not properly registered in West Virginia, authorities noted.
The investigation is ongoing.