OVI case follows Norwalk traffic stop
NORWALK — Lorain County Sheriff’s Office Major Heath Tester has been placed on administrative leave while an OVI case stemming from a July 17 traffic stop proceeds through court.
Sheriff Jack Hall confirmed the leave and said Chief Deputy Tanya Czack is handling the matter internally. Hall said the sheriff’s office will wait for the court case to be resolved before determining whether further action should be taken.
Tester, 55, of Vermilion, was charged with OVI, a first-degree misdemeanor, and improper left turn, a minor misdemeanor. Norwalk police also issued him a warning for failure to control, full attention or weaving.
The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office lists Tester as the major overseeing Special Operations and Intelligence. The section includes the county’s SWAT, Explosives Response Team and Sex Offender Enforcement Unit.
The charges followed reports of a dark-colored Chevrolet pickup being driven erratically through Norwalk shortly before 10 p.m.
According to a Norwalk police report, an off-duty officer traveling to work saw the pickup heading east in the westbound lane of West Washington Street. The officer reported that the vehicle passed in a no-passing zone and entered the intersection at Whittlesey Avenue against a red light without braking.
Several motorists were forced to brake and sound their horns to avoid a collision, according to the report.
The off-duty officer called dispatch and continued following the pickup. Police said the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve near East League Street, left the roadway and traveled through Workers Memorial Park before briefly stopping on a sidewalk.
The pickup then re-entered the road, nearly struck two vehicles and continued traveling in the wrong lane, according to police. The officer also reported seeing it nearly strike another vehicle while turning onto Milan Avenue and swerve between opposing lanes.
A second motorist called 911 after the pickup narrowly missed his vehicle at the Washington Street and Whittlesey Avenue intersection. He later gave police a sworn statement saying he followed the pickup because he was concerned about the safety of other motorists.
Norwalk officers caught up with the vehicle near Milan Avenue and East Main Street. Police said Tester turned left from a lane designated for through traffic and weaved toward the center and right side of the roadway.
The pickup did not immediately stop after an officer activated his emergency lights but eventually pulled over near Garden Street, according to the report.
The arresting officer reported that Tester had glossy eyes and slurred speech and that an odor of an alcoholic beverage was coming from inside the vehicle. Tester denied drinking alcohol.
Police said Tester initially appeared uncertain about which sheriff’s office he worked for, first indicating Huron County before correcting himself and saying Lorain County.
Tester told police he had been near Wellington and was heading home to Vermilion. When asked where he was, Tester reportedly said Oberlin. The officer told him he was in Norwalk and reported that Tester appeared confused.
Tester also told police he had attended a sheriff’s golf outing earlier that day. Hall confirmed Tester had been at the golf course for the outing.
When the officer said he wanted to make sure Tester was safe to drive, Tester reportedly said, “Yeah, listen dude, listen, I’m good. I’m yeah. I know Chief Warfield, I’m good.”
Tester declined to perform standardized field sobriety tests. He was arrested after the officer determined he appeared impaired based on the driving reports, violations observed by police, odor of alcohol, alleged slurred speech and confusion about his location.
At the Norwalk Police Department, Tester refused to provide a breath sample following a 20-minute observation period, according to the report.
His driver’s license was seized and mailed to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and police entered an administrative license suspension. Tester was issued a citation and released to a person who came to the department.
The charges are allegations. Tester has not been convicted in connection with the incident.
