A freshly minted Pike County deputy learned the hard way that speeding and beer don’t mix—especially when you’re off-duty and end up 50 feet off the road, wedged in some trees.
It all went down in Vernon Township last May when local firefighters, just minding their own business at the end of a road, spotted a car suspiciously stopping before suddenly turning the other way. Fast forward a little while later, and that same car was in a ditch, with its driver needing a rescue mission.
Turns out, the man behind the wheel was Todd Yarman, a Portsmouth resident and freshly graduated Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy. Medics rushed to the scene and loaded him into an ambulance, but when an Ohio State Trooper arrived to investigate, Yarman didn’t pull out his license—he flashed his sheriff’s office card instead.
What followed was a textbook example of what NOT to do when you’re suspected of drunk driving. Body cam footage from the scene shows Yarman admitting he’d been out drinking with a Portsmouth Police lieutenant, claiming he’d only had three beers before crashing. When given a field sobriety test, he missed steps, wobbled, struggled to count, and even started laughing. Eventually, the trooper cut the test short and arrested him.
Yarman was originally charged with OVI (Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence), but in a courtroom twist, the charges were downgraded to reckless operation and failure to control after he pleaded no contest. His license was reinstated, and by June, a Portsmouth Municipal Court judge had sentenced him to community service and a fine.
And here’s the kicker—despite the embarrassing ordeal, Yarman is still employed by the Pike County Sheriff’s Office. 🚔
Will there be any consequences beyond a slap on the wrist? Only time will tell.
