Saturday, shortly before midnight, Bellefontaine police arrested Justin Hammons, 38, of Marietta, after officers caught him driving a silver Toyota on South Detroit Street without headlights or taillights.
According to the police report, the vehicle drifted across lane lines multiple times and continued onto South Main Street before a traffic stop was initiated.
At first, the vehicle didn’t slow down after officers activated emergency lights and sirens.
The driver also nearly hit a parked truck.
Finally, the Hammons stopped, and as officers spoke with him, he explained that the car belonged to the passenger, Spencer Minnich, 31, of Huntsville.
He went on to claim he was unfamiliar with its operation.
Officers noticed that Hammons showed several signs of impairment, including bloodshot and glossy eyes, dilated pupils, slurred speech, and the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from his person.
Hammons repeatedly refused field sobriety tests, initially suggesting he could call a sober driver.
A THC vape was also discovered in his possession.
During the interaction, Minnich became increasingly belligerent, but was eventually picked up by a sober driver.
Hammons was taken to the police department, read his rights, and voluntarily provided a urine sample, which was sent to the Ohio State Highway Patrol lab for testing.
He was issued a citation for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and released to a sober driver.
