A joyride through the streets of Bellefontaine landed a city resident in jail on a number of charges in the early in morning hours of Monday, Dec. 1.
Officers from the Bellefontaine Police Department report that they were twice called to the area of the 1000 block of south Main Street just after midnight Monday morning after several witnesses reported that a BMW 528I was heard revving its engine and seen driving erratically in the area, with one witness reporting that the BMW nearly side-swiped another vehicle.
Police found what they believed to be the car in question parked behind a residence in the 1000 block of south Main Street, but the driver was not located at that time.
But a few minutes later at about 12:53 a.m. Monday, dispatch received reports of the same BMW again making the rounds on the south side of the city, revving the engine and driving in a dangerous manner. Officers, following the reports of witnesses, were led back to the same south Main St. address, where they again finding the still-warm BMW and fresh tire marks made by the vehicle in the snow.
On their second visit to the house, officers located Joseph H. Harrington, 28, of Bellefontaine in the home. When questioned, Harrington reportedly admitted to police to that he had been in fact driving the BMW on both occasions.
Dispatch reported to officers that Harrington had an active warrant out for his arrest in Union County, the tags on the BMW were fictitious and that Harrington did not had a valid driver’s license.
Harrington was then arrested on the contempt of court warrant from Union County, and also charged with reckless operation, fictitious registration, no operator’s license, and driving under suspension. Officers transported Harrington to the Logan/Union County line and released him to the custody to the Union County Sheriff’s Office on the outstanding warrant.
Pair of OVI arrests reported on Thanksgiving Day
Officers also report that they made almost simultaneous OVI arrests at different sections of the city in the small hours of Thanksgiving Day.
The first occurred Thursday, Nov. 27, at about 1:42 a.m. after police initiated a traffic stop on Kyle Mullins, 25, of rural Bellefontaine, near the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Hayes Street after he was an observed driving without headlights.
Once stopped, officers report Mullins showed signs of intoxication and he reportedly failed field sobriety tests before being arrested and taken to the BPD where he registered a 0.239 BAC on a breathalyzer test.
Mullins charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs and a stop sign violation before being released to a sober driver.
• Very near the same time that Mullins was being arrested, officers were making a similar bust on the south side of the city after they observed a vehicle driven by Jerrod J. Smith, 27, of rural West Liberty weaving and driving erratically southbound on Ludlow Road Thursday at 1:46 a.m.
Officers initiated a traffic stop near the Bellefontaine Middle School and noted sign of intoxication on Smith, after which he failed field sobriety tests and was arrested and taken to the BPD. He reportedly he reportedly registered a 0.123 BAC on a breathalyzer test before being charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, weaving, and failure to drive in marked lanes.
He was then released from custody to a sober driver.
Other arrests reported
• Jessica Verhoff, 43, of Bellefontaine was arrested Thursday, Nov. 27, at 11:27 a.m. after an incident in which she reportedly assaulted another resident of her home. When police arrived, they first took Verhoff to Mary Rutan Hospital for for a mental health evaluation, after which she was transported to the Logan County Jail and charged with domestic violence.
• Cassidy S. Cozad, 26, at large, was arrested by officers at 5:01 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, after they found her wandering on the east side of the city of foot. She reportedly ran from police when they attempted to stop and question her, but she was soon located in a covered porch of a residence on Woodland Dr.
Once found, Cozad agreed to speak with the officers, who reportedly found her very intoxicated and she reportedly gave nonsensical answers to the officers’ questions. She was then arrested for public intoxication and a probation violation and taken to the Logan County Jail.
• Also arrested by the Bellefontaine Police Department over the holiday weekend were Eric M. Beltran, 44, of Bellefontaine on Wednesday, Nov. 26, on a probation violation; Damon C. Lensman, 49, at large, on a contempt of court warrant Friday, Nov. 28; and Megan M. Gross, 25, of Bellefontaine, who was booked on a failure to appear warrant on Sunday, Nov. 30.
1 transported from crash
A Bellefontaine resident was transported to Mary Rutan Hospital with suspected minor injuries following a two-car crash that occurred at the intersection of west Chillicothe and south Elm St. Saturday, Nov. 29 at about 11:37 a.m.
Police report that a vehicle driven Patrick C. McClain, 24, of Westerville failed to stop for a stop sign while driving north on Elm Street at the intersection of Chillicothe Avenue. He then drove into the path of an eastbound vehicle on Chillicothe Avenue driven by Neoma A. Price, 58, of Bellefontaine, which struck the McClain vehicle in the driver’s rear side.
Price was transported from the scene to Mary Rutan Hospital by the Bellefontaine EMS for suspected minor injuries and her car had to be towed from the scene. The McClain vehicle suffered functional damage, but was able to be driven from the scene.
No other injuries were reported and McClain was issued a citation for a stop sign violation.
