Ronald E. Whaley, 39, of 113 N. West St., Bellefontaine, was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs relating to a non-injury crash Thursday afternoon.
Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office report he was operating a westbound 2001 Dodge Durango on east State Route 47 near Township Road 135 about 4:20 p.m. during snowy conditions when he traveled off the right side of the road and struck a fence and a telephone pedestal. His vehicle then went airborne and came back to the ground, striking a fence.
Upon arrival at the scene, deputies spoke with Whaley, who said he was not injured. Deputies observed signs of impairment from the driver, who eventually said he’d consumed several beers that day.
Deputies also observed open cans of alcoholic beverage inside the vehicle in plain view. The defendant agreed to participate in field sobriety tests, but due to poor weather conditions, he was transported to the Logan County Jail for the tests. However, Whaley fell asleep in the cruiser en route to the jail, so the tests were not performed.
He submitted to a urine test at the jail, with results pending. The defendant also was issued a summons for open container in a motor vehicle and was cited for failure to control. Damage was heavy to his sport utility vehicle, which was towed from the scene.
• Dakota Carte, 26, of Urbana, was charged with OVI and was cited for marked lanes and no license plate lights related to a traffic stop early Monday morning.
Deputies on patrol about 1:30 a.m. in the area of U.S. Route 68 noticed his southbound vehicle had no rear license plate lights and then observed a marked lane violation in the area of County Road 5.
The traffic stop was initiated and the driver was identified as Carte. While speaking with him, deputies detected a moderate odor of an alcohol beverage coming from within the vehicle. The defendant initially declined consuming any alcoholic beverages and was asked to step out of the vehicle.
He failed field sobriety tests and then admitted to deputies that he had consuming alcohol during the Super Bowl game.
Upon arrival at the jail, Carte refused a urine test and was released to a sober driver.
Car damaged after ice falls from semi
Keary M. Ginn, 25, of Bellefontaine, did not report any injuries, but his car sustained heavy damage Friday after a piece of ice fell from a semi tractor-trailer and struck his vehicle.
Deputies report Ginn was operating a westbound 2010 Ford Fusion about noon on U.S. Route 33 near State Route 292. He initially changed lanes to avoid the falling ice from the top of a westbound semi operated by an unknown driver.
However, the ice still struck the top of Ginn’s car. The semi did not stop and continued westbound on U.S. 33.
Summonses issued during traffic stop
Ashland P. Stanley, 20, and Aarik B. Rollins, 20, both of 10584 County Road 153, East Liberty, each were issued a summons for obstructing official business related to a traffic stop about 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Deputies on patrol in Huntsville in the area of Lima Street observed a vehicle turn off its headlights and make an abrupt left turn onto Rude Street. When deputies located the vehicle, it had been parked in a driveway along Rude Street and there were no longer occupants inside it.
Deputies initially encountered Stanley and Rollins outside walking in the area and they denied knowing who had been in the vehicle.
When deputies encountered Rollins again a short time later, he told deputies that he and Stanley had been in the vehicle and they exited the car because neither one of them had a valid driver’s license.
Deputies located Stanley in the park, and she admitted to driving the vehicle. She was cited for operating a vehicle with no headlights and driving under non-compliance suspension.