Father allegedly high on meth before deadly wreck that killed 4

These four crosses are along U.S. Route 119 in Danville where the crash took place last September.
These four crosses are along U.S. Route 119 in Danville where the crash took place last September.

DANVILLE, W.Va. — Boone County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Danville man Thursday and charged him in connection with a Sept. 2014 traffic accident that killed two adults and two children.

Chief Deputy Chad Barker said Frank Gene Thompson, 40, was high on meth when he wrecked the pick-up truck on U.S. Route 119 at the intersection of Bradley Road. Thompson survived the crash but his four passengers did not.

“It’s really unspeakable,” Chief Deputy Barker told MetroNews Thursday. “You can’t imagine what that accident was like. You can’t put yourself in those family members’ shoes.” 

Frank Gene Thompson, 40, of Danville was arrested Thursday.
Frank Gene Thompson, 40, of Danville was arrested Thursday.

The victims were Betty Holstein, 31, Rebecca Bias, 46, Alyssa Bowman, 5, and Nathaniel Thompson, 1. Frank Gene Thompson is charged with four counts of DUI causing death.

“My heart really goes out to the family of the 5-year-old little girl and 1-year-old little boy. It’s just a terrible, terrible situation,” Barker said.

Nathaniel Thompson was Frank Gene Thompson’s biological son and Alyssa Bowman his stepdaughter.

Chief Deputy Barker said it took six months to complete the interviews and get the toxicology test results back on Thompson, showing he was under the influence of meth. Barker said deputies were suspicious right from the start.

“We began this process that morning, one o’clock in the morning, we were going down that road, it’s just taken six months to get to the point where we are. We’ve been gathering facts along the way,” Barker said.

Thompson is being held in the Southwestern Regional Jail on $500,000 bail.





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