A Morgantown man, 21-year-old Benjamin Goldfarb, faces three misdemeanors for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated last month.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on April 22, Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Griggs received a dispatch of a possible intoxicated driver on State Road 46 West heading toward Nashville. The caller stated that a vehicle ahead of him was “all over the roadway” and had almost hit several vehicles, the report said.
Griggs reported that he was stationary at the Brown County State Park West Gate when the suspected vehicle passed him. The caller slowed their vehicle to allow Griggs to turn onto 46 and pursue the driver, later identified as Goldfarb. According to the report, as Griggs was approaching the vehicle, it allegedly ran off the right side the road twice, almost striking the guardrail both times. Griggs activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. Allegedly, the vehicle slowed but did not stop and continued toward Nashville, and finally came to a complete stop at Harden Holler Road.
According to the report, Griggs activated his body camera, approached the vehicle and greeted Goldfarb, who was alone in the car. Griggs said he could detect a “strong odor” of an alcoholic beverage, as well noticing slurred speech and “red-glassy” eyes, according to the report. Goldfarb allegedly told Griggs that he had no alcohol to drink and agreed to exit the vehicle. Once outside the car, Griggs reportedly received consent to search his person for weapons. According to the report, as Griggs instructed Goldfarb to walk to the back of his vehicle, he noticed that his balance was “very unsteady.”
Goldfarb agreed to do sobriety tests at the scene, the report said. According to Griggs, he failed a horizontal gaze test by demonstrating all six clues. Due to the gravel road they were on, Griggs said he was unable to administer the walk and turn or the one leg stand tests at the scene. He did give Goldfarb a PBT on the scene however, which allegedly resulted in a .181%. Goldfarb was transported to the Brown County Jail for the other tests.
Once at the jail office, Griggs administered the one leg stand and walk and turn tests, and Goldfarb allegedly failed both. Griggs also administered the certified breath test on Goldfarb, with the result allegedly being .187%. Goldfarb was placed under arrest and booked into the Brown County Jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle with an ACE of .15 or more, a Class C misdemeanor; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.
The probable cause affidavit was filed on April 25.
