Wrong-way collision leads to DUI

By Russ Cassady Staff Writer

A Robinson Creek man has been arrested on DUI and other charges after allegedly causing a collision that sent three people to the hospital with minor injuries Tuesday.

According to the arrest citation filed by Kentucky State Police Trooper Jason Merlo, Jerry K. Spears, 40, was driving on Ky. 1469 at Virgie when the wreck occurred.

“(Spears) was driving on the wrong side of the road and struck (Jeanett Johnson’s) vehicle head-on,” said Kentucky State Police spokesman Trooper Scott Hopkins.

Johnson and two passengers in her vehicle were taken to Pikeville Medical Center where they received treatment for minor injuries, Hopkins said.

Spears, the citation said, left the scene of the accident with a family member and went to a different location, where Merlo located him.

Merlo noted in the citation that Spears had a strong smell of alcohol and Spears failed field sobriety tests.

Spears was taken to Pikeville Medical Center for treatment, where he was extremely disorderly and was cursing very loudly, Merlo wrote in the citation, also noting that Spears refused to take either blood or urine chemical tests.

Spears was charged with DUI (second offense, aggravating circumstances), leaving the scene of an accident, second-degree disorderly conduct and menacing.

He pleaded not guilty Wednesday before Pike District Court Judge Darrel Mullins, and was ordered held on a $10,000 full-cash bond.

Listed on the citation as an employee of the Kentucky Department of Transportation, Spears has a history of DUI charges.

The most recent charge was in July of last year, court documents show.

According to the arrest citation in that case, filed by Kentucky State Police Trooper Ryan Hamilton, Spears was involved in a single-vehicle injury accident at Collins Highway on July 14.

While field sobriety tests could not be performed due to his injuries, the citation said, Spears said he had drank five to six beers prior to driving.

An earlier DUI charge, filed in January of last year, was amended to alcohol intoxication by Pike District Judge Darrel Mullins, because the officer had not actually seen Spears driving, court documents show.

According to the arrest citation in that case, filed by Kentucky State Police Trooper Derek Sturgill, Spears drove to a video store at Virgie to speak with Sturgill’s landlord on Jan. 18.

The citation said Spears offered the landlord $200 to evict Sturgill, who had assisted in arresting Spears a few days earlier on an alcohol intoxication charge, and threatened to burn down the video store.

Spears, the citation said, left his keys in the video store and had liquor in his vehicle. Court documents show that Spears had a blood alcohol level of 0.218 following the incident.

Spears was charged with DUI in that case.

Spears’ previous arrest, which allegedly led to his actions days later at the video store, occurred on Jan. 16.

Court documents said Spears was intoxicated at a home at Robinson Creek. The arrest citation said Spears admitted he had drank and began yelling and cursing loudly at Trooper James Newkirk, the arresting officer.

Additionally, Spears pulled away from Newkirk when he attempted to handcuff him, refused to get in Newkirk’s vehicle and stated that he would get Sturgill transferred.

In that case, Spears had been charged with alcohol intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

All of the cases, with the exception of the case filed Tuesday, were wrapped up in January of this year, when Spears pleaded guilty to one charge of DUI and a charge of resisting arrest, with the rest being dismissed or amended.

Mullins sentenced Spears to pay a total of more than $1,000 in fines and court costs and serve 30 days in jail, probated for one year, with the conditions that Spears not have any drug or alcohol violations or any violations of the law, court documents show.

In addition, court documents show that Spears was ordered on Jan. 14 of this year to enter and complete drug treatment. He was also ordered to complete alcohol driver education courses, which were completed, according to court documents, by early February.

In the new case, a pretrial hearing has been set for Sept. 15.