Vermilion police arrested a 56-year-old man late Sunday night after his pickup truck struck a house on Morton Road, causing heavy damage to the southeast corner of the residence.
The crash happened around 11:10 p.m. on September 21 at 340 Morton Road. According to police reports, the driver, identified as Jay Virgil Lafferty of 308 Morton Road, lost control of his vehicle and drove it into the side of his neighbor’s home. The impact left a large hole in the structure and drywall lodged in the truck’s front grill.
Witnesses told officers they saw Lafferty tear out of his driveway, crash into the neighboring home, and then re-park his damaged truck back at his own property. No one inside the house was injured.
When officers contacted Lafferty, they noted he showed clear signs of intoxication including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and difficulty standing. He admitted to drinking vodka mixed drinks earlier in the evening and refused both field sobriety tests and chemical testing.
Lafferty was charged with OVI, marked as his second offense in ten years, along with OVI refusal, failure to control, and a seatbelt violation. He was later released on a $500 personal bond and transported by Lifecare EMS to Mercy Hospital in Lorain for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. His court date is scheduled for September 25 at 4 p.m. in Vermilion Municipal Court.
Ring camera footage and witness statements were collected as evidence. Police body cameras also recorded the investigation.
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