MAUMEE -- A local pastor convicted of drunk driving is back home. Pastor Michael Pitts spent nine days in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio after state troopers pulled him over last December. He was released over the weekend.
The case began in December 2006. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pitts was driving on US 20A in western Lucas County just east of the county line when he stopped for a routine vehicle inspection. The trooper said he smelled alcohol, and did a field sobriety test.
The results of that test caused the trooper to take Pitts into custody, and take him to the Highway Patrol Post on Airport Highway. Their breathalyzer machine there was broken, so troopers say Pitts provided a urine sample that was sent to Columbus for analysis. A urine test confirmed Pitts was legally drunk although he told the court he only drank two glasses of wine.
Pitts pleaded "no contest," and Judge Gary Byers found him guilty and sentenced him to 9 days in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio in Stryker. The judge also fined Pitts $300 and took away his driver's license indefinitely. Pitts can petition state to get license back.
Pitts has been found guilty of driving under the influence once before. He also pleaded "no contest" in April of 1998 to two charges of criminal trespassing in a case where he was accused of exposing himself at Oak Openings Metropark. The deal threw out several charges of indecent exposure. The prosecution in his trial had rested its case, and the defense had begun calling witnesses when the plea deal was struck.
Similar indecent exposure charges in Wauseon and Toledo were thrown out.
