Thursday, May 5, 2011
DUI Arrestee Slept For Two Hours In Idling Truck With Youngsters Inside
Police officers were summoned to McDonald’s on North Locust Avenue Tuesday evening when concerned persons were unable to awaken a man who was sleeping inside an idling truck in the parking lot with two small children inside.
A restaurant manager told Lawrenceburg officers that the man had been sleeping in the truck for approximately two hours with the engine running. The manager attempted to awaken the man after patrons expressed concern for their welfare, but was unsuccessful.
When they made contact with Joseph Levi Martin, 25, of 32 Community Road, they report he had trouble holding his head up and staying awake. He was unable, they said, to identify the day of the week.
Martin told officers he had not consumed alcohol or narcotics, saying that he “had just fallen asleep.” When he was emptying his pockets, however, they found that he was concealing a small metal tin with Lortab and Xanax inside.
Emergency medical personnel were unable to find anything physically wrong with Martin. He was transported to Crockett Hospital for a blood test, then taken to the Lawrence County Detention Center.
Martin was booked on first offense DUI, possession of Schedule IV narcotics, simple possession, being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant, two counts of child abuse/neglect, and two counts of reckless endangerment. He is slated to answer the charges in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on June 3, 2011.
A referral was made to the Department of Children’s Services regarding the youngsters, ages 6 and 2. They were later released into the custody of a grandparent.
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