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‘Highly impaired’ Boardman man arrested twice within hours
BOARDMAN
A township man who police said was “highly impaired” was arrested twice within a few hours Wednesday morning.
The first incident leading to the arrest of Christopher Perry, 20, of Mathews Road, occurred shortly after midnight at a gas station on Market Street. Police were called in reference to intoxicated people sitting in the parking lot for an extended period.
Police found two people in a vehicle that was emitting “an odor of fresh marijuana,” according to a report. The driver, Perry, told police that he and the passenger were “just chilling and eating Doritos,” but police observed that both Perry and the 15-year-old passenger had red and watery eyes, dilated pupils, slurred speech and sluggish movements.
“It appeared that both males were extremely impaired and had recently smoked marijuana,” said police.
Asked for his identification, Perry reportedly handed over a bank card. At one point, he reportedly slumped over the wheel and could not be immediately revived, leading police to call an ambulance. After about a minute, he regained consciousness on his own. He reportedly admitted that he had taken previously a Xanax pill.
Police also reported finding marijuana and tubes of glue they believe were used to inhale fumes.
In that incident, Perry was arrested on a charge of contributing to the unruliness/delinquency of a minor. The 15-year-old was issued minor misdemeanor citations for a curfew violation and underage possession of tobacco.
While he was being booked at the police station, police reported that Perry seemed confused and “asked several different questions more than 10 times” and had no memory of asking them. While police initially planned to give Perry a ride home, they determined that he was “too highly impaired to care for himself” and released him to emergency medical workers, who transported him to an area hospital.
Perry’s night didn’t end there, however, as he was again picked up by township police shortly before 4 a.m.
An officer reported that he observed Perry stopped on U.S. Route 224. When Perry started driving again, police reportedly clocked his speed at 6 mph, then stopped after striking a curb.
He was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired in that incident.
A search of Mahoning County court records indicates that Perry was convicted on misdemeanor drug charges numerous times in the past few years.
Perry is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Area Court here today for arraignment.
On Wednesday he was in the Mahoning County jail on a $1,250 cash or surety bond.