Driver arrested on OWI charge after car collides with semi

A local man was arrested after being accused of crashing his vehicle into a semi.

Columbus police officers Brandon Decker and Kelly Holley were sent to check on a personal-injury crash involving two vehicles on Indianapolis Road at Lowell Road at 7:39 a.m. Tuesday, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.

Officers spoke with Brandon E. Miller, 25, of 722 Pearl St., who said he was driving a 2004 Dodge Stratus and attempted to pass the semi on the roadway shoulder when the truck began to turn onto Lowell Road.

While speaking with Miller, officers noted he had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath, Harris said.

After Miller failed several field sobriety exercises, Miller was sent to the Columbus Police Department for a certified breath test, where he later provided a breath sample of .141 percent, almost twice the legal limit, Harris said.

Miller was arrested on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated – endangerment and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction, Harris said.

He is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bond, jail officials said.