Brecksville Police Blotter: Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Drugs

The following incidents were reported by the Brecksville Police Department on Aug. 5 through 7. The information was compiled by police reports.

Driving under the influence

A 55-year-old Independence man was charged with driving under the influence after a fender bender in a parking lot on Brecksville Road at 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 7. The driver’s truck had stalled and rolled into a parked car. When an officer spoke to the driver at the scene, the man said he had a few beers that day. He then participated in field sobriety tests and performed poorly. At the station, he also took a breath test and was found to be over the legal limit. He was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence and with operating a vehicle under the influence based on his blood alcohol content.

Possession of drugs, paraphernalia

A car’s loud exhaust led police to discover drugs and paraphernalia on Aug. 6. An officer pulled the car over at 4:32 p.m. on Interstate 77. The driver, a 34-year-old man from West Lafayette, Ohio, told the officer that he did not have a license. He did have an ID card and the officer learned that his license had been suspended. When the officer went to talk to the passengers, he saw what looked like pieces of marijuana on the front passenger's shirt, in his hand, on the floor and on the seats. 

After a search, the officer also found a bag of suspected marijuana and a pipe in the front of the car, as well as a backpack full of drugs and paraphernalia in the back. The contents of the backpack included a bag of marijuana, a scale, and a box with paraphernalia like rolling papers and a bottle with pills in it. They also found an ashtray with six marijuana cigarettes in the backseat. 

One passenger was released without charges. The other passenger, a 33-year-old man from Freson, Ohio, said the backpack was his. He was charged with possession of marijuana, paraphernalia and a schedule IV-controlled substance – the pills were identified as alprazolam. The driver was charged with driving under suspension, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and for the loud/faulty exhaust.

Driving under the influence

A 29-year-old Cleveland man was charged with driving under the influence after an officer stopped him at 3:10 a.m. on Aug. 5 on Interstate 77. The office pulled him over for driving more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit and weaving in the lane. When talking to the driver, the officer saw an open beer in the driver’s side cup holder and a bottle of vodka in his pocket. 

He did not give the officer his license and insurance and, after looking for awhile, handed over a student identification card and wrote down the other pertinent information. The officer learned that his license was suspended. The driver repeatedly said that he was not speeding and refused to take any sobriety tests or a breath test for alcohol. He was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence, OVI refusal, driving under a suspended license and cited for speeding, weaving and having two counts of open container.

For questions about this blotter, email Rachel.Abbey@patch.com.