Ohio Police Officer Charged With OVI After Crashing His Cruiser

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Piqua Police officer accused of OVI, crash while on duty pleads not guilty

PIQUA, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) - Piqua Police have opened an investigation after an officer who was on duty is accused of driving drunk and crashing his cruiser.

The officer has been identified as Justin Augustine. ABC2 2/FOX 45 has requested Officer Augustine's personnel file to learn more about his background.

Just after 7:30 Saturday night, (October 27, 2018) Officer Augustine called for another officer to meet him on East Ash Street. According to a report released by police, the responding officer says Augustine's cruiser was parked next to a flatbed semi-trailer. Officer Augustine approached the other officer, telling him he was trying to urinate when he crashed his cruiser.

The officer reports finding significant damage to the passenger side of Augustine's cruiser and the rear quarter panel.

The report states the responding officer told Augustine to gather his personal items from the car. While gathering his things, Augustine dropped a handcuff key but was unable to pick it up, according to the officer, and fell to the ground.

A can of Four Loko Gold was found inside the door of Augustine's personal vehicle as well as another can of the same beverage at the crash site. Augustine's eyes were bloodshot, according to the officer, and his speech was slurred. The officer brought Augustine back to the police station where he reports Augustine began to get confrontational and refused to cooperate, yelling obscenities.

At one point in the police body camera footage, the responding officer asks Officer Augustine if he's "drunk right now?" Augustine replies "No, I've been drunk" but denied being drunk at the moment during that exchange captured on camera.

In the police report, the responding officer reports asking Augustine if he had a lot to drink today and he stated that he had.

Piqua's police chief, Bruce Jamison, has released a statement about the investigation, saying “The first principle in any internal investigation is the Department’s duty to the public.The second principle is the duty to provide fair procedures to any officer involved."

Police say the department and the city will be making no other public comments about the case. An internal investigation has been opened. The officer is currently on paid administrative leave, and is due in court in the next few weeks.

UPDATE: Justin Augustine entered a written plea of not guilty on Tuesday, according to court records.
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Body cam video of Piqua officer cited for OVI released

Piqua (OH) Police released body camera video of an officer who was cited for OVI Tuesday (10/30/18).

In the video, you can see a supervisor talking with Officer Justin Augustine after he crashed his
car into a trailer on October 27.

Augustine is accused of being drunk when he crashed his patrol vehicle into a trailer behind a building in the 700 block of E. Ash Street around 8:45 PM Saturday.

The cruiser had damage to the right side from the windshield to the rear of the vehicle and both side windows were broken.

Augustine was placed on suspension for refusing the alcohol and drug tests and was cited for OVI.

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A former Piqua police officer who had been arrested for OVI while on duty was sentenced for a lesser charge on Wednesday.

Justin Augustine was originally charged with OVI after his arrest on October 27. On Wednesday, he was sentenced physical control of a vehicle while under the influence. He was given a $300 fine, sentenced to 180 days in prison with all but 3 of those being suspended and to probation, which started on Wednesday and will last for a year. Augustine was also sentenced for an amended charge of weapons under the influence.

[kellyhound]

he doesn't look all that happy in the family pic so if he had any problems you don't go drinking on the job, especially when you're a cop. Good thing he didn't hit a person with his cruiser though

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Originally Posted by kellyhound

he doesn't look all that happy in the family pic so if he had any problems you don't go drinking on the job, especially when you're a cop. Good thing he didn't hit a person with his cruiser though

He looks pretty unhappy in all the pics actually. I especially love the dumb look on his face in the courtroom picture.

I just feel sorry for his wife and little girl.

His LinkedIn pages says he’s now a driller. You probably don’t want to perform that job drunk either.

[Phatality]

He even looks like he drinks Four Lokos.