BETHLEHEM – A Bethlehem Police officer facing three misdemeanors following an August traffic crash will remain on the beat as the officer awaits a date before an Ohio County magistrate, village Mayor Aaron Snider said.
Rusty Jewell has been charged with false reporting, speed limitations and duty upon striking fixtures upon a highway after being accused of hitting two mailboxes and a utility pole on S. Frazier Ave. In a criminal complaint filed by Wheeling Police officers, those officers noted that Jewell appeared to be "heavily intoxicated" when they talked to him that night.
According to the speed limitations charge, drivers must go slowly enough to avoid crashing into anything. According to the duty upon striking charge, anyone who does hit a fixture while driving must take reasonable steps to notify the owner of the fixture.
Despite the charges, Snider said no disciplinary action will be taken at least until Jewell appears before a magistrate. Jewell has an initial appearance set for Sept. 14.
"We're working very closely with our solicitor to ensure that everything is done by the book, properly," Snider said. "All I can say I'm working closely with the solicitor. This is what's being recommended to me by counsel, to wait for the results of the investigation and court, until further action is taken."
Snider has said Jewell was not on duty at the time, and Jewell allegedly told Wheeling Police officers he was coming home from the Cave Club, where he tends bar, that night.
According to the criminal complaint, Wheeling Police were called to S. Frazier Ave. shortly after midnight Aug. 27 to investigate a call of an alleged hit and run. When officers arrived they found two damaged mail boxes and a damaged utility pole.
Witnesses said they saw a dark SUV that had lost control making a right turn onto S. Frazier Ave., driving over the curb, hitting two mailboxes and a utility pole. One witness said he followed that dark SUV to Ark Ave., where he allegedly saw a man get out of the SUV, inspect the outside and head into the home.
One officer went to Ark Ave. to look for the SUV and found it, with Jewell standing near it. He asked Jewell if he had been driving recently and Jewell allegedly said he had and had hit a deer and wanted to report it. The officer asked Jewell about the damage down the road and Jewell allegedly denied knowing anything about it.
When told that two witnesses saw an SUV matching his vehicle hit two mailboxes and a pole, Jewell allegedly again denied knowing about it. Officers noted in the complaint that there was no fur or blood on vehicle and that the damage to the front end was consistent with damage done on the scene.
According to the criminal complaint, officers noted that Jewell appeared to be "heavily intoxicated" during the interaction. An odor of alcohol was allegedly detected on his breath, his speech was slurred and his clothes disheveled.
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said Jewell was not charged with DUI because the circumstances under which Jewell was found after the crash made it too difficult to get a definitive account of his blood alcohol content at the time of the crash.