PARKERSBURG – An accident report filed by the Parkersburg Police Department says Mayor Tom Joyce opened the door of a city-owned vehicle into traffic, and it was struck by a passing motorist on June 16.

The report’s narrative said Joyce was at fault for opening his car door into traffic. No citation was issued.

A woman who listed a Parkersburg P.O. box as her address asked about the accident during the public forum at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. She asked if alcohol was involved and if standard procedures were followed.

Joyce said during the message from the executive portion of the meeting that he was “treated just like everybody else that’s ever dinged up a city vehicle” and he submitted to a drug test, which is standard policy for accidents involving municipal vehicles.

On Thursday, Joyce said he was going to lunch at the 19th Street Country Club at 19th and Latrobe streets in the city-owned vehicle assigned to the mayor’s office when the accident happened.

“I have never – not one time – ever consumed alcohol when I was driving a city vehicle” in his nine-and-a-half years as mayor, Joyce said Thursday. “Anybody that says otherwise … is an absolute liar.”

The State of West Virginia Uniform Traffic Crash Report says the mayor’s vehicle, a 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe, was parked facing westbound at the intersection and a 2020 Nissan Altima was traveling in that direction when the accident happened.

Joyce said Thursday he checked his mirror but reached back to get his phone before opening the door when it was subsequently struck.

The report includes a driver data sheet that notes the driver of the other vehicle, Waverly resident Ashlee Coleman, was in “apparently normal” condition and no use of alcohol or drugs was suspected. There was no driver data sheet for Joyce, who was listed in the report as an “occupant of a motor vehicle not in transport,” a separate designation from driver. The report notes his vehicle was parked.

Parkersburg Police Chief Matthew Board said there was not a driver data sheet for Joyce because “he was parked and he was getting out of” the vehicle, not driving it.

In assigning fault, the report only mentions the opening of the door into traffic and does not reference any other factors.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.