URBANA — A Miami Valley sheriff is facing an OVI charge.
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News Center 7′s John Bedell is working to learn more and will have the latest tonight on News Center 7 at 6:00.
Champaign County Sheriff Matthew Melvin has been charged with one count of OVI, according to Champaign County Municipal Court records.
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An Urbana officer was following Melvin’s truck on N. Jefferson Avenue around 1:12 a.m. on Wednesday when they noticed his truck “start and stop aggressively several times at the stop bar,” according to a statement of facts filed on Thursday morning. The officer noted that this could have been to trigger the stop light sensor, but it also “raised suspicion of a possibly impaired driver.”
When the light turned green, the truck crossed the intersection onto S. Jefferson Avenue and committed a marked lane violation.
Later, the truck sat a green light at an intersection for 10 seconds before entering the intersection. At that time, the officer activated their overhead lights to initiate a traffic stop.
Melvin didn’t initially pull over and reportedly committed another marked lane violation. When it didn’t appear that he would stop for the officer, they activated their siren. It was then that Melvin stopped his truck.
When the officer walked up to the driver’s side, they saw what appeared to be vomit on the driver’s side door and noticed an odor of alcohol coming from the truck.
It was determined that Melvin had been driving under the influence and “was unfit to drive,” according to a statement from Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell.
Melvin reportedly refused a Standard Field Sobriety Test and was placed under arrest. Once at the Urbana Police Division, Melvin refused both a breath test and being fingerprinted, according to court records.
Melvin is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on Friday.
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