UPDATE: FIVE FORKS MAN CHARGED IN DEATH OF TEEN BICYCLIST - Victim Named, Darren Parsons Bond Set At $2 Million, Theft Charges Piling Up

(09/11/2014)
UPDATE 9/11/14 8 AM - State Police say further charges are pending against a Five Forks, Calhoun man, who allegedly struck and killed a 15-year-old bicyclist in Wood County, the incident likely happened Monday night.

Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton says 15-year-old Cody Philpott was riding his bike along Rt. 47 Monday night when a car struck and killed him.

Ninteen-year-old Darren Nicholas Parsons is in Central Regional Jail, currently charged with leaving the scene of an accident, causing a death, with additional theft charges against Parsons piling up.

His bond in Wood County has been set at $2 million.

He may face more charges, and three others who were riding with him in the vehicle also may be charged, according to police.

State Police say in a criminal complaint that Parsons was driving a 2005 black Chevrolet Impala, traveling west on State Rt. 47 near the intersection of U.S. 50, where the incident happened.

The complaint says Parsons failed to render aid to the victim or report it to authorities.

The teen's body was discovered Tuesday by a passerby.

A witness advised police regarding the vehicle driven by Parsons, later confirmed by a second witness.

The vehicle was impounded by authorities and taken to the WV State Police lab in Charleston after being discovered at a residence at 2 a.m. at Five Forks.

The name of 15-year-old Cody Philpott was released as the victim.

Parsons was charged last week with the theft of two farm tractors in Calhoun County. Parsons was incarcerated on those charges, but was released from Central Regional Jail after posting bail.

Now, another charge has been filed against Parsons in Calhoun.

According to a new criminal complaint filed by the State Police, he is now charged with grand larceny for stealing an 18-foot trailer valued at $3,500 from the property of Grantsville businessman Steve Satterfield.

The complaint indicates that Justin Lee Knight of Parkersburg was accompanying Parsons, identified from a store video at Marfarlan, the trailer identified as the one hauling a farm tractor. Bond on the latest theft charge has been set at $20,000.

UPDATE 9/10/14 8 AM- West Virginia State Police have arrested a Five Forks, Calhoun man, and charged him with leaving the scene of a Wood County accident, causing a death.

Darren Nicholas Parsons, 19, is in Central Regional Jail, with police saying he struck and killed a 15-year-old on a bicycle on Rt. 47.

The boy's body was found Tuesday afternoon, but they believe he was hit between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Monday.

The victim's name has not been released.

Investigators say the victim's mother came to them on Tuesday saying her son never returned home and troopers then listed him as missing. During their investigation they were called to the scene of where a body was discovered.

Troopers say a witness came forward and was able to describe the vehicle, while another witness gave them a tip that the vehicle was in Calhoun County.

Police located the vehicle and it has been taken Charleston to be analyzed and the boy's body has been sent to the Medical Examiner's Office in Charleston.

the reconstruction of the scene and where the victim was riding along the road is still to come in the investigation.

More charges are expected to be filed against Parsons, who was arrested earlier for stealing tractors in Calhoun County.

ORIGINAL STORY 9/0/14 - A Five Forks man has been charged with grand larceny for the alleged stealing of farm tractors.

Darren Nicholas Parsons, 19, is in Central Regional Jail, with bail set at $15,000.

According to a criminal complaint, Parsons took a farm tractor from Larry Burrows of Leading Creek.

The complaint says Parsons also attempted to steal a farm tractor found stuck in a swamp area on Williams Road, that tractor belonged to Gary Wager.

Cpl. Jeff Hunt of the WV State Police says officers viewed a video tape at a Macfarland store that showed Parsons hauling a stolen tractor.

A tractor, according to the complaint, was taken to Camden Tire in Parkersburg, were it was sold to a Lubeck, Wood County man.

Justin Lee Knight of Parkersburg told officers that he was riding with Darren Parsons and Junior (William) Vandal in a vehicle with a trailer hauling a tractor.

Knight told officers that during a conversation, he heard there had been problems loading another tractor, the complaint says.