By Bonnie Culverhouse
A two-vehicle accident on Shreveport Road Wednesday morning ended with the arrest of one of the drivers and medical transport for another.
Martez D. Johnson, 48, of the 700 block of Weston St., Minden, was charged with third offense driving while intoxicated (felony), vehicular negligent injury, suspended driver’s license and careless operation of a motor vehicle.
Minden Police Chief Jared McIver said around 11:30 a.m., Sgt. Chris Cayer was dispatched to the location in reference to a rear-end collision.
“One of the drivers was being treated by EMS and was transported to the hospital,” McIver said. “The other driver – Johnson – was stumbling and swaying heavily. Sgt. Cayer said he smelled heavily of an unknown alcoholic beverage and his eyes were lowered.”
Johnson reportedly refused emergency medical attention.
With Johnson’s permission, Cayer conducted a standard field sobriety test.
“Johnson displayed a lack of equal tracking, lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained *nystagmus at maximum deviation, nystagmus onset to 45 degrees and vertical nystagmus, due to his lack of balance,” said the chief. “At that point, Sgt. Cayer determined it was unsafe to perform the rest of the test on the roadside.”
McIver said that once Johnson was transported to Minden Police Department, he refused to participate in the walk-and-turn portion of the test.
“He was swaying so heavily, the officer felt it was dangerous to complete,” McIver said. “He signed his rights related to chemical testing for intoxication, but then refused to provide a breath sample.”
McIver said the crash victim was placed in a neck brace for severe neck and head trauma. More tests were scheduled to determine severity of other injuries.
* Nystagmus is a condition where the eyes move rapidly and uncontrollably.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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