(Newswire.net — September 8, 2014) — The incident took place on Sunday night, about 9:30 pm in the Arena District. Wilson was driving a $45,000 Mercedes on W. Spring Street near John H. McConnell Boulevard, a police report says, when he suddenly changed lanes, hit a COTA bus and kept going in the vehicle.
No one was injured. A Columbus Division Police helicopter helped track the car as it traveled east along I-70, and a patrol car stopped it near Brice Road.
Wilson refused to take a breathalyzer test or field sobriety tests, the report says.
The Judge was charged with operating a motor vehicle while driving under the influence (DUI). It was not specified yet weather he was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both.
Wilson is scheduled to be in Franklin County Municipal Court on Wednesday. The charges are first-degree misdemeanors punishable by a maximum of six months in jail for each.
Wilson, a 60-year-old Republican first elected to the Perry County Court in 1990, has spoken with pride about how viewing the trials has helped deter students from drinking and driving.
During the past decade, Wilson has taught the dangers of drunken driving to hundreds of local high-school students by moving an actual trial from his courtroom to New Lexington High School.
Yesterday, his attorney, Jon Saia said that Wilson was arrested and charged. His driver’s license was automatically suspended for his refusal to take the breathalyzer test.
Saia said he hadn’t had a chance to sit down with Wilson to review the charges, so he was not prepared to say what pleas Wilson will enter.
The Mercedes was a rental from German Mercedes-Benz of Easton while Wilson’s car was in for servicing, Saia said.
“Wilson was not in the office yesterday,” a court spokeswoman said, “and he did not return a message left at his Roseville home seeking comment.”
He was released after posting bond of $164, court records show.