Friday Incident:
Erick Eckurd, 46, of Cable, was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) Friday night after erratic driving led to a traffic stop. Around 11:00 PM, a Bellefontaine police officer observed Eckurd’s white Jeep Gladiator make an improper turn from Clarkson Avenue onto South Main Street, crossing multiple lanes without signaling and straddling the lane divider. The vehicle continued making wide turns, nearly hitting a curb, prompting the officer to initiate the stop.
Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer noticed Eckurd was unsteady on his feet, had slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol. Although Eckurd claimed he had consumed just one beer, his behavior indicated otherwise. He failed several field sobriety tests and was arrested for OVI.
At the police station, Eckurd’s breath samples tested at 0.167% and 0.176% BAC, well above the legal limit of 0.08%. A check of his driving record revealed a previous OVI conviction from 1999. Eckurd was released to a sober driver and is scheduled to appear in court for the OVI charge.
Sunday Incident:
On Sunday morning, Nathan Daniels, 24, of West Liberty, was arrested for OVI after his truck was spotted speeding on South Main Street. The truck was clocked at 46 MPH in a 35 MPH zone. Daniels showed several signs of intoxication, and after failing field sobriety tests, he admitted to drinking four beers earlier that evening. A breath test revealed his BAC to be 0.103%, above the legal limit.
Daniels, a felon on probation for assault, was arrested and taken to the Bellefontaine Police Department. He was issued a court date and released to a sober driver.
Sunday Medical Emergency and Underage Drinking:
A 19-year-old Bellefontaine man, Nathan Hartman, was issued a summons for underage alcohol consumption after a medical emergency early Sunday morning. Emergency crews responded to a call from a home on the 800 Block of Heritage Court, where Hartman was vomiting blood and experiencing severe stomach pain. The caller informed dispatch that Hartman had been drinking and had similar symptoms before.
Bellefontaine Medics transported Hartman to Mary Rutan Hospital, where police later spoke with him. Hartman admitted to drinking a six-pack of beer at his apartment, despite knowing he was underage. He also revealed that the alcohol was purchased from a local gas station, where he was not asked for ID.
Police issued Hartman a summons for violating Ohio’s underage drinking law.
