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Driver of swerving vehicle accused of OVWI early Monday morning

After a concerned citizen reported a driver appeared to be drunk, a deputy located the driver swerving between the yellow and white lines on State Road 54 east of Bloomfield.

Dawn Marie Johnson

Dawn Marie Johnson, 30, Bloomfield, was arrested by Deputy Devan Goad of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department early Monday, May 24.

Early Monday morning, the sheriff’s department received a call from a concerned citizen that a blonde woman pumping gas at the Country Porch gas station in Bloomfield appeared to be intoxicated. The citizen said the woman was inside the store for about 10 minutes looking for her keys then when she went outside, she was digging in the trunk of her car. The citizen was able to give a description of the vehicle.

Deputy Goad responded around 6 a.m. and located the described vehicle, a silver 2003 Chevrolet Impala, swerving back and forth between the center and white lines, eastbound on State Road 54. Deputy Goad reported the driver crossed the center line then overcorrected and crossed the white line and ran off the road. A traffic stop was initiated.

Dawn Marie Johnson was the driver who allegedly admitted she did not have a driver’s license but only had a permit and she knew she shouldn’t be driving but she was in danger. She said the reason she ran off the road was because she was on the phone.

Deputy Goad reported Johnson had slurred speech and showed other signs of intoxication. After GCSD Deputy Davis Aerne arrived to assist, he reported Johnson failed field sobriety testing but she agreed to take a chemical test.

Deputy Goad transported Johnson to Greene County General Hospital for a blood draw but when they arrived, she allegedly refused to get out of the patrol vehicle and said she would not agree to a blood test. She was transported to the sheriff’s department and after a search warrant was issued, a blood draw was obtained – results pending.

Deputy Aerne reported that during the required inventory prior to towing the vehicle, he found multiple syringes, a digital scale, a small metal tin with residue and a smoking device containing a burnt substance.

Johnson was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:22 a.m. Monday with bond set at $8,500 surety with ten percent cash allowed. She has since posted $850 and been released.

When she appears in Greene Superior Court for her initial hearing, she will be formally charged with:

  • Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,

  • Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,

  • Unlawful possession of syringe, a Level 6 felony, and

  • Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.