Columbus Man arrested OWI after pursuit

COLUMBUS, Ind. –The Columbus Police Department (CPD) arrested a local man on several charges following a crash, pursuit, and drunk driving investigation on Monday afternoon, January 26. 

Officers were notified of a man in a pickup leaving the scene of a crash near Carr Hill Road and Merchants Mile at around 5:20 p.m.

The caller thought the driver who left the scene might be intoxicated, and followed the suspect vehicle to 3rd and Franklin Streets while at the same time talking to CPD. There, the caller pointed out the suspect vehicle to the police as it turned and went the wrong way down 3rd Street, traveling east.

Officers attempted to stop the truck, but the driver fled. They pursued the pickup down State Street out of the city until it eventually stopped near State Road 7 and County Road 525E.

The driver, Clinton Rogers, 47, of Columbus, was taken into custody without incident. During questioning and an initial investigation, CPD allegedly found a beer can in the suspect's pickup and noted signs of impairment. 

Rogers was arrested and preliminarily charged with the following:     

• Resisting law enforcement in a vehicle (level 6 felony)
• Operating while intoxicated, endangering a person (class A misdemeanor)     
• Disorderly conduct (class B misdemeanor)
• Leaving the scene of an accident (class B misdemeanor)     
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated (class B misdemeanor)     
• Reckless driving (class C misdemeanor)