A 17-year-old driver and a passenger were arrested after a hit-and-run accident in the area of Seventh Street and Central Avenue.
Columbus police were sent to the area at 6:40 a.m. Thursday about a black passenger car that had fled the scene after striking a curb and road sign, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
The officers located the vehicle in the 1100 block of Phoenix Court and found damage on the passenger side of the car.
As the officer approached the car, the 17-year-old juvenile dropped the car keys and put his hands up, Harris said.
Officers said they detected a strong odor of marijuana in the vehicle while speaking to the passenger, later identified as Kyle P. Reardon, 18, of 818 Chestnut St. in Columbus, Harris said. Officers later located marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Reardon’s pockets.
When speaking with the juvenile, officers said the 17-year-old had difficulty speaking, keeping his eyes open and was unsteady on his feet, Harris said. After he failed several field sobriety tests, the juvenile refused to submit to a blood draw and was then arrested, Harris said.
Officers obtained a warrant and the juvenile had a blood draw at Columbus Regional Hospital, Harris said.
The juvenile was transported to the Bartholomew County Youth Detention Center on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a property damage crash, Harris said.
Reardon was arrested on a preliminary charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, Harris said. He was released after posting $6,000 bond from the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.
