Test results showed a Worthington driver, injured when he crashed his truck into a tree in mid-July, had a BAC of .203. When he appeared in court this week, he admitted he’d been drinking before the crash.   

Bryce Jacob Spelts, 25, Worthington, was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the crash investigated by Deputy Devan Goad of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. No information has been released regarding the extent of his injuries.

At 11:13 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, Greene County Dispatch got a report that a truck had crashed into a utility pole. GCSD Deputy Devan Goad, the investigating officer, was dispatched along with Deputy Zachary Goad, Deputy William C. Walker and Bloomfield Police Lt. Marvin Holt.

When they arrived, they found a silver 2014 Chevrolet Silverado with major front-end damage. It was missing both front tires. It had crashed into a tree and the guide wires on a power pole were damaged. The truck had come to a stop in a residential yard. The location was on North Old Worthington Road, Bloomfield.

Deputy Devan Goad said there was nobody around the vehicle but EMS said the driver had flagged them down up the road from the crash site. Deputy Zachary Goad left to talk to the driver.

Spelts, identified as the driver, said he wasn’t going to lie – he admitted he’d been drinking and estimated he’d had four or five beers before the crash. He was transported to Greene County General Hospital for injuries, then admitted.

Deputy Devan Goad reported finding a 12-pack of Busch Light in the truck, with two unopened bottles of beer. He also reported that medical records showed Spelts had a blood alcohol level of .203. The legal limit is .08.

Field sobriety tests were not given and the driver was not arrested because Spelts was injured and admitted into the hospital, but a criminal case was filed against him and a summons was issued ordering him to be in court for an initial hearing this past Monday, August 16.

During his initial hearing, Spelts was 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.

Also during the hearing, Spelts and the prosecution advised the court of a verbal plea agreement and a change of plea hearing was also conducted.

Spelts pleaded guilty to Count 1, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor, and Counts 2 and 3 were dismissed.

Spelts was sentenced to 365 days with 361 days suspended with his confinement to begin on Thursday, August 19.

Spelts reported to the Greene County Jail to begin serving his sentence yesterday – he was booked in around 1:30 p.m. He will be on probation after he is released.