A Harley rider who missed a curve and ran off the road near Newberry on Wednesday night was arrested. He’s accused of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and being in possession of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms.

Gary Lee Johnson, Jr., 40, Spencer, was arrested by Sgt. Bobby Pierce of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday night, August 12.

Johnson was operating a blue 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle on the Scotland Newberry Road when he missed a curve and drove off into a field. Sgt. Pierce and GCSD Deputy Alan Jackson were dispatched after a man called the sheriff’s department and reported a motorcycle was in a ditch.

When the deputies arrived, they found Johnson standing in the ditch next to the Harley. Johnson said he was not injured. But Sgt. Pierce detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage and reported Johnson exhibited other signs of intoxication. Johnson allegedly admitted he had a couple of beers at a tavern in Odon.

Johnson was cooperative and agreed to field sobriety testing. Sgt. Pierce said he failed. Johnson was transported to the Linton Police Department where he again failed sobriety testing but agreed to a chemical test. He was transported to Greene County General Hospital for a blood draw – results pending.

Sgt. Pierce reported that during a pat down, Johnson was found in possession of a a plant material believed to be marijuana. The motorcycle was towed and during an inventory, Deputy Jackson reported finding more plant material believed to be marijuana and dried mushrooms believed to be psilocybin mushrooms, a Schedule I controlled substance, both in a saddle bag. The plant material and the mushrooms are being sent to a lab for analysis – results pending.

Around 11:13 p.m., Johnson was booked into the Greene County Jail where he was being held without bond pending court appearance.

Johnson is facing preliminary charges of:

Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,
Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.