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A fifth-grade math teacher in the Springfield City Schools and his passenger were arrested about 12:15 a.m. Saturday following a traffic stop on west Brown Avenue near Walker Street.
Officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department reportedly observed Charles A. Weller II, 48, of Springfield commit a number of marked lanes violations including attempting a wrong-way turn while traveling along west Columbus Avenue at south Detroit Street, and traveling over the double-yellow center line on west Columbus Avenue near Plumvalley Street.
An odor of intoxication was reported from the vehicle, and officers also note they could not speak directly with the driver because a front-seat passenger, Christina Carden, 42, of St. Paris, repeatedly interrupted.
Field sobriety tests were attempted unsuccessfully, and Weller eventually declined the last two tests. After Weller was handcuffed and placed in the rear of a cruiser, Carden became hysterical, police report, repeatedly yelling at officers and refusing to calm down.
She was arrested and charged with persistent disorderly conduct. She continued to act out in the rear of a cruiser, kicking at the window multiple times, according to reports. She was lodged in Logan County Jail.
Weller was first taken to the police department where a breath test registered a .160. He has prior drunk driving charges in 2015 and 2018, police report. He repeatedly expressed concern for his employment and said he was already “under investigation,” by the Ohio Department of Education.
In addition to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, he was cited for driving under suspension, an expired operator’s license, marked lanes violation, no rear license plate light and driving without a seat belt.
He was lodged in Logan County Jail.
A second, named passenger in the backs seat was determined not to have been intoxicated and was released.
• Christopher R. Miller, 41, of 628 E. Columbus Ave., was charged Nov. 6 with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and cited for a marked lanes violation, speed- ing and no night time lights.
Around 1:20 a.m., he was observed driving a sport utility vehicle northbound from Route 68 Grill, 1141 S. Main St., and an officer turned to fol- low. The officer caught up with the SUV after observing the vehicle traveling in excess of the posted speed limit and failing to stay in the marked lanes of the roadway.
A traffic stop was made at Williams Avenue during which the officer detected an odor of alcohol while speaking with Miller.
He denied being at Route 68 and the officer noted he appeared dazed and his speech was slurred. Field sobriety tests indicated he was impaired but he refused to provided a breathalyzer sample.
Pedestrian arrested
Brian J. Evans, 37, of 1120 W. Sandusky Ave., was arrested and charged with public intoxication, possession of schedule III and IV narcotics without a prescription and possession of marijuana after offi- cers on patrol observed him stumbling along the sidewalk about 12:30 a.m. Friday in the area of east Columbus Avenue and south Main Street.
Upon making contact, an odor of alcohol was immediately detected. The suspect was unsteady on his feet and disoriented, police report. He attempted to record his interaction with law enforcement on a cell phone, and repeatedly had to be asked not to shine the light in face of the officer.
The suspect was uncooperative with officers, and he was placed under arrest for his well-being. A search of his person turned up suspected marijuana and prescription pills for which Evans did not have a legal script.
He continued to be uncooperative with staff at the Logan County Jail, including taking off his pants when he was asked only to remove a belt. He reportedly was sweating profusely and yelled “the entire time,” about Satan, according to incident reports.
He also accused law enforcement of “planting” the drugs on him.
Couple disrupt overdose treatment
Jamie M. Sheppard, 35, and Derrik J. Trahan, 35, both of 131 S. Main St., each was charged Friday with persistent disorderly conduct. Sheppard also was charged with resisting arrest.
An officer assigned to the hospital was called to the Intensive Care Unit at Mary Rutan Hospital around 3:10 p.m. regarding a disruptive woman. Both Sheppard and Trahan were receiving treat- ment in the wake of drug overdoses that morn- ing. They were in neighboring rooms and Sheppard wanted to leave.
She began yelling for Trahan to wake up.
She was warned to return to her room and quiet down. She did not.
Meanwhile, Trahan began efforts to leave against medical advice and would not wait to be discharged properly.
The officer moved to arrest Sheppard and she struggled with him. She was taken to the floor and handcuffed.
Trahan exited his room and told the officer to get off of Sheppard. Hospital staff kept him from reaching the officer.
Another officer arrived on the scene and helped take Trahan into custody.
Both were lodged in jail.
Read complete BEAT NEWS in Tuesday’s Examiner.
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