A Salem police
officer was suspended without pay on Tuesday after he was charged with driving
with more than three times the legal amount of alcohol in his system Sunday in
Canfield.
Patrolman Gary A. Poage, 47, was charged with drunk driving Sunday after what he called “a bad date.” He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Mahoning County Canfield Area Court.
Salem Police Chief J.T. Panezott said Tuesday Poage was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Reports said an officer working with the Mahoning County OVI Task Force spotted Poage’s red 2000 Pontiac swerving and driving over the double-yellow lines at about 2:30 a.m. on Fairgrounds Boulevard.
Officers noted Poage smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes when they first pulled him over on South Broad Street. Poage told officers he was on his way home from a “bad date,” and had just dropped off his date in Hubbard.
Poage told the officer several times he did not consume alcohol. Reports said officers found two red plastic cups with beer inside and two empty bottles of Miller Hi-Life beer inside his car. When asked about the cup with beer, Poage told officers he didn’t know what the liquid was or how the cup ended up between his feet.
He then told officers he had two margaritas, and later said his date bought a pitcher of margaritas.
Reports said Poage failed three sobriety tests and tested at a 0.26 blood-alcohol content. The legal limit in Ohio is .08.
Officers immediately placed his driver’s license on administrative suspension, reports said.
Patrolman Gary A. Poage, 47, was charged with drunk driving Sunday after what he called “a bad date.” He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Mahoning County Canfield Area Court.
Salem Police Chief J.T. Panezott said Tuesday Poage was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Reports said an officer working with the Mahoning County OVI Task Force spotted Poage’s red 2000 Pontiac swerving and driving over the double-yellow lines at about 2:30 a.m. on Fairgrounds Boulevard.
Officers noted Poage smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes when they first pulled him over on South Broad Street. Poage told officers he was on his way home from a “bad date,” and had just dropped off his date in Hubbard.
Poage told the officer several times he did not consume alcohol. Reports said officers found two red plastic cups with beer inside and two empty bottles of Miller Hi-Life beer inside his car. When asked about the cup with beer, Poage told officers he didn’t know what the liquid was or how the cup ended up between his feet.
He then told officers he had two margaritas, and later said his date bought a pitcher of margaritas.
Reports said Poage failed three sobriety tests and tested at a 0.26 blood-alcohol content. The legal limit in Ohio is .08.
Officers immediately placed his driver’s license on administrative suspension, reports said.
