A bizarre scene unfolded at the Burger King in Wheelersburg after customers and employees reported a car parked near the front door for hours with a child inside and the driver appearing intoxicated.
When deputies arrived just after 9 a.m., they found Brad Jones half hanging out of his vehicle — his legs on the ground, his chest sprawled across the floorboard. He staggered to his feet and told officers he was searching for his phone, though his speech was rapid and repetitive.
Deputies quickly noticed multiple red flags: Jones was unsteady on his feet, his license was suspended, and he refused at first to hand over his identification. Meanwhile, a second deputy noted the driver rummaging aimlessly through a backpack, pulling papers out and shoving them back in, unable to stay balanced without leaning on the car.
Burger King staff told deputies the vehicle had been sitting in the lot for as long as four hours, alarming customers and prompting the 911 call. Deputies called for the Ohio State Highway Patrol to conduct sobriety testing, which showed multiple indicators of impairment.
The vehicle was towed, and Jones was taken into custody on charges of having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence and a probation violation. He appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court, was assigned a public defender, and released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court Sept. 30.
