Columbus police arrested a local man on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and drug-related offenses after he was accused of striking several curbs with his vehicle and driving off the road near Marr Road and McKinley Avenue.
Columbus police officers Wesley Dodge and Reid Thayer were sent to the accident at 7:45 p.m. Monday and found the vehicle parked in a nearby parking lot, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
Police found Hector Martinez Jr. 35, of 3835 Central Ave., inside the vehicle, and noted he had difficulty standing and nearly fell over several times, Harris said. Martinez later failed several field sobriety tests and refused to take a blood-alcohol test, Harris said. Martinez was arrested after officers determined his license was suspended as he was a habitual traffic violator, Harris said.
While searching Martinez, officers found a syringe in his clothing, Harris said. Officers received a search warrant for a blood draw and Martinez was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for that procedure, Harris said.
After that, he was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of possession of a legend drug-injection device, operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Harris said.
He was being held in the jail in lieu of $70,000 bond, jail officials said.
