A Lyons man who crashed his truck into a ditch at 12:30 in the morning last weekend said he’d been drinking whiskey. Test results at the Linton Police Department showed he had a BAC of .257. The legal limit is .08.

Michael Dean Raper, 57, Lyons, was arrested by Officer Joe Riley of the Linton Police Department very early Sunday, September 20.

Officer Riley was dispatched around 12:30 a.m. last Sunday to a crash involving one vehicle in the area of Baseline Road and County Road 1100 West after a caller reported a black Ford truck was in a ditch and a man had gotten out of the truck and was trying to climb out of the ditch.

LPD Officers Nick Yingling and Kyle Robison also responded to the scene.

When they arrived, they found a black Ford Ranger facing east in the ditch on the north side of Baseline Road. Michael Raper was identified as the driver and they found him in the ditch leaning up against the passenger side of the truck.

Officer Riley, the investigating officer, reported that Raper admitted he had been drinking and said he had about “five whiskeys.” Riley said Raper’s balance was very poor and officers had to assist him several times to keep him from losing his balance.

Raper allegedly failed standard field sobriety tests on the scene and was transported to the Linton Police Department where results from a certified chemical test showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .257. The legal limit is .08.

Officer Riley said that during the course of the investigation, Raper repeatedly said, “I know I’m drunk, you’re wasting your time.”

Raper was next transported to Greene County General Hospital for a medical check before he was transported to the Greene County Jail where he was booked in at 2:38 a.m.

Raper’s bond was set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He has since posted bond and been released.

When he appears in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing, he 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, and

• Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor.