Area resident arrested on multiple new OVI violations one day prior to serving sentence for prior conviction

Linton Police Officer JR Blazier filed a probable cause affidavit in Greene Superior Court Monday, preliminarily charging Christopher Wathen, 47, of Linton with Class C misdemeanor OVI, Class A misdemeanor OVI with endangerment, Class A misdemeanor OVI with a BAC over .15, Level 6 felony OVI with a BAC over .15 and Level 6 felony OVI with endangerment after a call from a concerned driver to police dispatch led to a traffic stop and Wathen’s subsequent arrest.

The alleged incident occurred one day before Wathen was to report to the Greene County Jail to serve a 13-day sentence imposed as part of a plea agreement in a case stemming from Wathen’s arrest on OVI charges in April 2023.

Wathen’s probation in that case was revoked upon his August 18 arrest.

Blazier said an area resident called the Linton Police Department to report driving behind a reckless driver traveling east into Linton. The caller said the driver continued into the city, running off of a roadway, into a yard and back into the street.

Blazier arrived to the area reported by the caller, around 12th St SE and saw the suspected reckless driver turn left onto Base Road. Blazier followed, using his vehicles radar unit to determine the driver’s speed as 50 mph in 30 mph speed zone. Blazier said he witnessed the driver swerving to both sides of the paved road and the officer activated lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop.

The driver came to a stop at the intersection of Base Rd and SR 59.

Blazier reported a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle as he approached,

Blazier said he asked Wathen how much he had been drinking, and Wathen replied, “not a lot”.

Blazier told Wathen he was going to administer a series of standardized field sobriety tests. Instructing Wathen to stand between Blazier’s and Linton Patrolman Nathaneal Kilgore’s patrol vehicle for safety, Blazier administered several tests, all of which Wathen allegedly failed.

The officers transported Wathen to the Linton Police Department for further testing. Blazier reported Wathen’s failure on this round of testing as well.

“After completing the standardized field sobriety tests, I believed per my training and experience that (Wathen) was intoxicated,” Blazier wrote.

Wathen agreed to submit to chemical testing and a breath test was administered. Wathen reportedly provided a breath test result of .258 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath (BAC).

Blazier then read Wathen his Miranda Rights and Wathen asked to speak to his lawyer.

All questioning was halted, and Wathen was transported to Greene County General Hospital for medical clearance and then to the Greene County Jail, where Wathen was scheduled for release on August 25.

Blazier reviewed Wathen’s criminal history, noting a prior conviction for Class C misdemeanor OVI endangering a person. Wathen was convicted on that charge under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement on August 15, 2024. For that conviction, Wathen was sentenced to 180 days in jail with credit for one day and 166 days suspended. An order of probation was entered at that time.

Wathen was booked on the aforementioned five charges and his bond was set at 8,000 with 10% allowed.

A petition to revoke Wathen’s probation was issued on August 20 by the Greene County Probation Department and an initial hearing was held on August 26.

All persons are presumed to be innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law.