When a deputy made a traffic stop early last Saturday and approached the vehicle of a Worthington man, the driver handed the deputy his credit card thinking it was his driver’s license. The driver ended up in jail on charges of OVWI.

John Phillip Thompson Jr., 41, Worthington, was arrested by Deputy Michael Stanley of the Greene County Sheriff's Department last Saturday, July 23.

Around 4:20 AM last Saturday, Deputy Stanley was eastbound on State Road 54 toward Bloomfield when he saw a beige 2009 Ford Escape westbound coming from Bloomfield with the driver’s side headlight not illuminating. Just before arriving in Bloomfield, Deputy Stanley turned around to go back and conduct a traffic stop on the Ford Escape.

After he caught up and hit the red and blue lights, the driver of the Escape continued to slowly drive another 75 to 100 yards before coming to a stop in the right turn lane at the Lighthouse Junction which is the intersection of SR54 and SR57. Officer Cayden Walker of the Linton Police Department also arrived on the scene to assist Deputy Stanley.

Deputy Stanley reported that as he approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Thompson, was holding his Crane credit/debit card out the driver’s side window, thinking it was his driver’s license. Thompson was the only occupant of the vehicle. Deputy Stanley also reported Thompson’s speech was slow and slurred, his manual dexterity was poor when he tried to open the glove box to get the vehicle registration out, and there were two whiskey bottles in plain view in the back seat.

Thompson said he'd been at work until 1:00 or 1:30 AM then headed to the gym and was now on his way home to Worthington. When asked about his poor driving behavior and excessive speed, Thompson allegedly said that was due to him eating a Slim Jim.

Thompson failed standard field sobriety tests on the scene and was transported to the Greene County Sheriff's Department where he failed again. Thompson refused to consent to a chemical test so a search warrant was approved and a blood draw was taken by a Greene County Ambulance Service medic - results pending.

Thompson was booked into the Greene County Jail at 7:08 AM with bond set at $4000 surety with 10% cash allowed. He posted $400 and was released later the same day.

Thompson is being charged with:

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

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

Thompson is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court early next Thursday, August 4, for his initial hearing.