SON HAD BEEN DEAD ONLY 2 HOURS AFTER MOTORCYCLE WRECK; SHERIFF CALLS IT ‘MOST DISTURBING AND REPREHENSIBLE ACT’ HE HAS SEEN IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER
SPARKS POINTED LOADED RIFLE AT TEENAGER IN HER SON, JAMES ADAMS’ HOME, WHO ALSO IS SON OF WOMAN KILLED IN WRECK (AND DID NOT KNOW YET HIS MOTHER WAS DEAD)
JUNE 2, 2017 – written by WADE QUEEN
According to Lawrence County Sheriff Deputies, who are saying that while authorities in neighboring Boyd County were investigating and cleaning up after a motorcycle crash that killed two people, the mother of one of the victims and her boyfriend were raiding his home for guns and other items.
Ruth Sparks, 65, and Wendell Gibbs, 67, both from Louisa, are currently facing charges of first-degree burglary. She also faces a charge of wanton endangerment. Gibbs faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sparks has since bonded out of jail, but Gibbs is still there as of Friday afternoon.
According to the arrest citations, a gun and money were found in a hiding place at Ruth Sparks home in Louisa, almost the same time as U.S. 23 was reopening after the crash in Boyd County.
Ruth Sparks’ son is James Lee “Buddy” Adams.
James Adams and Priscilla Hogston were both killed Tuesday afternoon on U.S. 23 in Boyd County in a motorcycle crash.
Adams’ house on the Left Fork of Morgans Creek was super calm Friday morning, just three days after his death. But Lawrence County deputies report that only two hours after the crash, Ruth Sparks was there at her dead son’s house, stealing guns and other items with her boyfriend Wendell Gibbs.
Sheriff deputies got a call from Lawrence County E-911 call when she allegedly pointed a gun at a teenager inside, who happens to be the son of Priscilla Hogston, the other popular victim of the accident.
Deputies said Hogston’s son ran out of the house and met a responding deputy on the road. It is alleged at the time of the violent incident at Adams house, Hogston’s teenage son did not know yet of his mother’s death due to the crash
According to the arrest citations, a gun and money were found in a hiding place at Ruth Sparks home, almost the same time as U.S. 23 was reopening after the crash in Boyd County.
It is a case like Sheriff Garrett Roberts was quoted in an area news source as saying he “has never seen anthing like this before in his 30 years of law enforcement experience and the sheriff was at a near loss for an explanation for Ruth Sparks actions at her son’s home.
“Something like this, a tragic accident, for a family member to do this to their flesh and blood is terrible,” Sheriff Roberts was quoted as saying.
Friends and neighbors of Ruth Sparks were shocked by the criminal circumstances involving her and late son’s belongings.
“It devastates me,” said Austin Castle, who lives next to Ruth Sparks in Louisa.
“To hear this, it blows my mind, it blows my mind away ,” said Thomas Koch, an acquaintance of Sparks.
Austin Castle has lived next to Ruth Sparks for several months and said her son’s death Tuesday hit her hard. Castle feels terrible for Sparks, and that he hopes this all blows over because his opinion has not changed about his neighbor.
“I will always love Ruth,” Mr. Castle said. “She always been here since she moved in. She’s been there for me, and I’ve been there for her. I will still always be there for her, no matter what.”
The family of Adams and Hogston declined to give interviews to media outlets.
But other friends of Ruth Sparks are claiming they think it is all a misunderstanding because Sparks was not in her right mind because of her grief.
