Aaron M. Black
GREENFIELD — A Marion County Sheriff’s Department deputy who had been with the force for two decades was dismissed last week, a day after he was arrested by officials with the Greenfield Police Department for operating a department vehicle while intoxicated.
Aaron M. Black, 46, Pendleton, was officially arrested Sept. 6 and charged with a Class A Misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person. Black made an initial appearance in Hancock County Superior Court 2 on Thursday where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.
According to a probable cause affidavit, around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 an officer with the GPD conducted a traffic stop in the driveway in the 1000 block Riverview Drive when he pulled over a tan Ford Fusion.
The GPD officer noted in the report the reason for the stop was because the officer observed the suspect vehicle go left of center in the 500 block of east McKenzie and then go to the shoulder of the roadway, almost striking a guard rail.
The report stated, the male, later identified as Black, opened his door and began to exit when he was pulled over. The GPD officer advised Black to show me his hands prior to exiting. Black did so and walked to the front of the GPD officer’s patrol car, the report said.
The GPD officer noted, the man “staggered as he walked to the front of my patrol car.” As the GPD officer was placing Black into handcuffs, the GPD officer stated “I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the male’s person.”
The GPD officer then placed Black into the front seat of the GPD patrol car and transported him to GPD for field sobriety tests, the report said.
Black failed a horizontal gaze nystagmus test, a nine-step walk and turn, and a one leg stand, the affidavit said. Black then consented to a chemical test which came back with a.313% BAC. A level of .08 to .10 blood alcohol level is considered legally drunk.
Black was officially terminated by the MCSD Wednesday, Sept. 7. A spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Black was driving his department vehicle at the time of his arrest. His case is set for a pre-trial conference Friday, Nov. 4.
