Staff Reports
Driver involved in crash charged with OWI
A Paragon man is facing charges after police say he drove drunk and crashed a stolen vehicle, then fled once police arrived.
Joshua Prather, 41, was driving a 2007 Ford Edge in the 1200 block of Old State Road 46 close to midnight on April 7 when he crashed. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.22, almost three times the legal limit, a police report said.
His front-seat passenger, Shirley Bone, 44, of Irondale, Mo., was trapped and had to be extricated by firefighters, who took off two doors and broke out the windshield to get to her. She was placed on a backboard to move her out due to possible spinal injuries, according to a probable cause affidavit by Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles.
Briles found the truck off the north side of the road. It had run over a fire hydrant, which had water flowing out of it. The passenger was crying, complaining of back and knee pain and saying that she could not move, the officer’s report said. The passenger told Briles that the driver was at a nearby house trying to get help.
Prather then walked up to the front of the vehicle, telling the passenger that he loved her and he was sorry. Briles reported that Prather’s words were slurred and unclear. He also reported seeing a beer can in the driver’s seat that was empty and crushed up.
Nashville Police Officer William Pruitt arrived on scene and was directing the ambulance to pull up to the crashed vehicle when Prather stood up from where he was sitting nearby and ran from the scene.
Police commanded Prather to stop, but he continued to run. Briles had lost sight of him until he looked down in the bushes and saw Prather looking back up at him, the affidavit states.
Prather continued to refuse to comply with directions as police tried to get him to roll onto his stomach. Officers eventually were able to handcuff him. Prather continued to make vulgar statements to officers and disregarded commands to stay seated, the report said.
Dispatch told officers that the vehicle was reported stolen out of Illinois. Prather was placed under arrest and was read his rights.
He told police he was driving home to Paragon when the power steering in his vehicle went out and caused him to run off the side of the road into a ditch. He said he ran from police because he “thought he could get away,” the report said, but he decided to stop running because the passenger was still in the car. He denied EMS treatment for minor cuts on his legs and arms.
The vehicle was towed. Prather was taken to the Brown County jail. On April 10, he was charged with resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor.
Police stop man driving ATV on road, make arrest
A 60-year-old Brown County man was arrested on March 17 after he was stopped for driving an all-terrain vehicle left of center on Gatesville Road and police discovered he had been drinking.
Cpt. Mike Moore with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department conducted the traffic stop before 6:30 p.m. in the 5100 block of Gatesville Road. The driver, Michael Painter, told police he was impaired from an alcoholic beverage and had too much to drink, but that he did not think it was a problem to drive his Gator ATV on the road, Moore’s probable cause affidavit states.
Moore reported smelling alcohol on Painter, seeing alcohol beverage containers in plain view, that Painter’s eyes were tired/bloodshot, his manual dexterity and balance were both impaired, and he leaned against the vehicle during the stop, the affidavit states. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.21.
After he was arrested, Painter submitted to a chemical test about an hour later at the Brown County jail. The result of that test had his BAC at 0.14, the affidavit states. He was charged March 25 with two misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Woman faces misdemeanor charge for battery
A 59-year-old Columbus woman has been charged with a battery after police say she grabbed a man around his neck.
Regena Brooks was charged April 11 with battery, a Class B misdemeanor. A brief report by Sgt. Scott Bowling says that Brooks grabbed a man by the neck, causing redness.
Police: Man shoved woman into side of home
VAN BUREN TWP. — A Bloomington man faces a battery charge in Brown County after police and witnesses say he shoved a woman into the side of a mobile home during an argument in January.
Police responded to the 5100 block of State Road 135 on Jan. 7 just before 11 p.m., according to a probable cause affidavit by Investigator Chelsea Whitehorn with the Brown County prosecutor’s office.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Stargell reported that the fight began between Joshua Medsker, 20, and the victim over a cellphone belonging to another woman. Witnesses and the victim said that Medsker shoved her into the side of the mobile home, causing her to hit her head on the exterior wall.
On Feb. 20, Medsker was charged with battery, a Class B misdemeanor. The probable cause affidavit was filed March 22.
Speeding, driving left of center results in arrest
A Wyandotte, Michigan man was arrested in Brown County on March 16 after he was stopped for speeding and driving left of center on State Road 46.
David Root, 25, was stopped by Nashville Police Officer Justin Anderson just after 10 p.m. in the 500 block of State Road 46 in Nashville. Anderson reported smelling alcohol on Root, that his speech was slurred, his eyes were red/watery and his balance was unsteady. Anderson also noted that he had to explain the walk-and-turn field test to Root three times, the probable cause affidavit states.
Root also staggered from his vehicle and leaned against it during the stop. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.147.
On March 19, Root was charged with three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Unionville man issued summons for marijuana
JACKSON TWP. — A Unionville man was issued a summons for possession of marijuana after police stopped him for driving almost 20 mph over the speed limit on State Road 45.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy William Pool reported being in the area of Dove Bill Lane on State Road 45 Feb. 4 when he clocked a vehicle driven by Michael Doughty, 34, going 62 mph in a 45 mph zone, a probable cause affidavit states. Pool initiated a traffic stop in the 4300 block of 45. As he was approaching the vehicle, he reported smelling a strong marijuana odor.
Pool told him he could smell the marijuana, and Doughty willingly gave Pool a baggie of marijuana that was in the driver’s side storage area along with two hand-rolled marijuana cigarettes, the report said. As Doughty handed Pool the items, he reported seeing another plastic baggie in the front left pocket of his jacket. Doughty handed Pool that bag, also.
Doughty was issued a summons and given a warning for speeding. He was charged March 25 with a Class B misdemeanor for possession.
Brown County Traffic Partnership makes arrests
The Brown County Traffic Partnership issued 193 traffic citations and made five arrests during a 24-day traffic-enforcement mobilization. About 230 police agencies increased patrols across Indiana for aggressive and impaired driving.
The overtime traffic enforcement is funded through National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
“As temperatures rise, so do crashes involving impaired and aggressive driving,” said Sheriff Scott Southerland in a press release. “If you venture out to watch the NCAA tournament, ride your motorcycle or take your kids on spring break, watch for bikes and pedestrians and make sure your plans include a sober, defensive driver.”
In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
Motorcycles are about 3 percent of registered vehicles, but are dramatically overrepresented in fatal crashes involving alcohol.
Impaired driving also includes prescription and illegal drugs. Over-the-counter medication can cause impairment, especially when combined with alcohol or a second drug.
Failing to yield the right-of-way is one of the top causes of crashes that lead to injuries and deaths. Following too closely and unsafe lane movement violations are also among the top causes of crashes.
Other aggressive driving violations include unsafe speed; speed too fast for weather conditions; disregarding a traffic signal or sign; and improper passing, turning or lane usage.
Young male drivers ages 16 to 34 are more likely to be in a crash involving alcohol or unsafe driving behaviors, according to the ICJI.
Stop for driving left of center results in charges
A Columbus man who was stopped for driving left of center last August on State Road 46 has now been charged with three misdemeanors.
Rex Kent, 61, was stopped by former Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Eggebrecht just after 1 a.m. on Aug. 26. Eggebrecht reported smelling alcohol on Kent, that his speech was slow, his eyes were red/watery, his balance was unsteady and his manual dexterity was slow.
Kent also failed the horizontal gaze test. A breath test was not given, according to Eggebrecht’s probable cause affidavit. A chemical test was administered and the results were pending at the time the affidavit was filed.
On April 2, Kent was charged with three misdemeanors related to operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
