WELLSBURG — A Weirton woman pleaded guilty Friday to driving under the influence in an Aug. 9 automobile crash in which the Brooke County sheriff was injured.

Tess L. Haynes, 28, of Weirton was sentenced to two to 10 years in prison after agreeing to seek treatment for drug abuse during that time through a plea agreement approved by 1st Judicial Circuit Court Judge Ronald Wilson.

The Brooke County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Haynes will receive credit for the time she has served, having been imprisoned since her arrest on that day.

West Virginia State Police reported Haynes was driving on U.S. Route 22 between the Main Street and Harmon Creek exits in Weirton when she struck Brooke County Sheriff Rich Beatty’s vehicle from behind.

Police said Beatty was parked along the highway at the time because he was responding to a disabled tractor-trailer there.

They said the sheriff sustained a spinal fracture as a result of the accident.

Police said a used hypodermic needle was found in Haynes’ deployed airbag.

Also appearing before the court were:

∫ Hunter E. Sayre, 22, of Wellsburg, who pleaded guilty to two counts of malicious assault and was sentenced to two years of supervised probation with the stipulation he will be sentenced to two to 10 years for each count if he fails to comply with conditions for the probationary period.

The sentence came through a plea agreement in which sexual offense charges for which Sayre was indicted were reduced.

The charges stem from alleged sexual contact with a minor known to him, and the prosecutor’s office advised the plea agreement was supported by the victim’s parent and the investigating officer.

�–� Robert J. Smith, 48, of Wellsburg, who pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to two years of supervised probation in acknowledgement of 10 months he’s served since his arrest.

Brooke County Assistant Prosecutor David F. Cross said Smith had entered a home, ransacking it and laying out items he intended to take, when the owner returned.

He said suspecting something was amiss, the owner remained outside and phoned the police, who arrested Smith at the scene.