Struthers man facing felony OVI charge

Staff report

STRUTHERS

A man is facing a felony operating a vehicle impaired charge after police arrested him early Monday morning.

Thomas M. Batson, 47, of Edison Street in Struthers, was arrested at 12:04 a.m. after an officer saw his car weaving on Brandon Avenue near Eighth Street.

When the officer stopped him, Batson told him he was pulling into his driveway on Edison, a police report says. The officer told him he was several streets away from Edison, and Batson appeared confused, the report says. He failed a field sobriety test, but later refused a breath test, the report says.

He was uncooperative with police at various times during the process, the report says. At one point, he refused to get in a cruiser, and officers had to push and pull him in, it says.

Batson is charged with a felony because he has prior OVI convictions — seven, according to Struthers Municipal Court.

In Ohio, a defendant is charged with a felony after three OVI offenses in six years. Five prior convictions in the past 20 years makes the sixth OVI a felony offense.

Batson is free on $1,000 bond and is set to appear April 25 in Struthers court for a preliminary hearing.

The court will decide at the hearing whether there is enough cause to send the case to the Mahoning County common pleas court.