Spencer County Sheriff’s Department
OWI arrest after accident
A Dale man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after crashing his truck early Sunday morning, February 23. According to the report, 25-year-old Jed Fitch was eastbound on Medcalf Street in Dale when he ran off the roadway and side-swiped an electric pole. His truck then continued past the pole and onto the sidewalk, striking a crossing sign and sliding sideways across the entrance of David Turnham Educational Center, before striking a street light pole and the David Turnham sign. Fitch was able to exit the truck before it became fully engulfed in flames. Fitch allegedly admitted to officers he had been drinking. After being treated by EMS at the scene for a contusion to his face, Fitch was transported to the hospital for a blood draw to test for OWI. Carter Fire Department assisted at the scene and extinguished the fire. Fitch was eventually charged with misdemeanor counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, endangering a person; operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.08 or more; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
OWI arrest
A deputy responded to a one-vehicle accident that occurred on County Road 200 near Rockport the afternoon of February 29. Upon arriving at the scene, the deputy spoke with the driver of the vehicle, 47-year-old Annette Hall of Richland, who advised that she was traveling eastbound when another car ran her off the roadway, causing her to strike a utility pole. The deputy detected the odor of alcohol on Hall’s breath and other signs of intoxication, and Hall consented to a preliminary breath test that indicated the presence of alcohol. After submitting to a blood draw test, Hall was charged with misdemeanor counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, endangering a person; operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.08 or more; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Damage to her vehicle was estimated between $5,000-10,000.
