Wheelersburg residents got more than they bargained for when they spotted a man passed out at a stop sign, a strange scene that ended with an OVI arrest.
Concerned passersby woke the man, but instead of being grateful, he became combative. Witnesses say he staggered to a nearby creek, relieved himself in the water, and tried to stash items among the rocks.
Sheriff’s deputies and an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper responded and searched the area until a deputy managed to catch up with the suspect, identified as Aaron Sowards. An ambulance was called to evaluate him, and the trooper placed him under arrest.
Sowards refused a sobriety test and was charged with OVI and parking on a public highway. In Portsmouth Municipal Court, his license was suspended; he was given a public defender and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear back in court on October 28.
This isn’t his first run-in with drunk driving. Sowards was convicted of OVI in March 2024, and his license was already suspended when this incident occurred.
