Ballou gives W’burg man choice of jail or treatment

A Williamsburg man, who was released from jail Thursday on a $50,000 property bond just four days after being arrested for his fourth driving while under the influence charge in as many months is being offered a choice. He can either go back to jail, or check himself into a secure rehabilitation facility.
Daniel P. Baird was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in district court Tuesday afternoon, but Judge Dan Ballou delayed the hearing until next week, and entered an order giving Baird the ultimatum of either checking into a facility for treatment, or going back to jail on a revoked bond.
According to court records, two of the four charges were filed after Baird, 20, of 161 Cemetery Road, was involved in accidents, including one where a woman was seriously injured. Prior to a third charge, Baird allegedly almost ran an off-duty sheriff’s deputy off the road, court records indicate.
After being arrested on his fourth driving while under the influence charge on Jan. 8, Judge Cathy Prewitt set a $20,000 cash bond for Baird, but she later agreed to amend the bond to a $50,000 property bond, which was posted Jan. 12.
Part of the conditions of Baird’s Jan. 12 bond were that he be placed on home incarceration, and that he not go any where but work and have a trustworthy person drive him there and back. His bond also prohibited him from taking alcohol or drugs, and from doing any driving of any kind.
Prewitt, who had set the bonds on all four of Baird’s cases prior to Tuesday, set down similar conditions after Baird’s second arrest for driving under the influence in November. During that arrest, he was also charged for second-degree assault.
He was released the day of the accident on a $750 surety bond on the condition that he be placed on house arrest, and only leave to go to church, his lawyer’s office, the doctor, and school. Another condition of the second bond was that Baird not operate a motor vehicle.
Following Baird’s third arrest in December, Prewitt set a $5,000 cash bond, which didn’t list home incarceration or no driving as bond conditions, according to court records.
Baird’s attorney, Ron Reynolds, declined to comment on the case.
On October 7, Williamsburg Police Officer Brad Boyd charged Baird with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs first offense, and for leaving the scene of an accident.
According to his arrest citation, When police arrived, Baird had not been located, and that his vehicle was found in a yard “a good way away” from the accident.
“Subject was very unsteady on feet and had slurred speech,” Boyd wrote on the citation, which noted Baird failed three field sobriety tests.
On Nov. 8, Williamsburg Police Officer Jason Caddell charged Baird with operating a motor vehicle under the influence, and for second-degree assault in connection with a traffic accident on US25W on Town Hill about 11:30 a.m.
Caddell’s arrest citation noted that when he arrived on the scene, Baird had slurred speech and was very disoriented.
“Upon seeing the accident, I noticed that the point of impact was on the other driver’s side of the roadway. Witnesses stated he was all over the roadway before the accident. Subject stated that he had taken his nerve medication and a pain pill of some type earlier today,” Caddell’s arrest citation noted.
The driver of the other vehicle had to be extricated, and suffered serious injuries, court records indicate.
Court records in the first two cases indicate that no alcohol was found in Baird’s blood system, but that the samples had been forwarded to the central forensic laboratory for toxicology testing.
On Dec. 17, Kentucky State Police Trooper K. Fuson charged Baird for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, and for failing to maintain required insurance and for not wearing a seatbelt.
Baird was arrested about 1:05 a.m. on Cemetery Road.
“Subject almost hit Deputy Brandon Prewitt on US25W. Brandon said he was all over the road,” Fuson’s citation noted.
Fuson said in the citation that he followed Baird to his Cumberland Heights Apartments, and could smell alcoholic beverages on him. He was also very unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech, the citation noted.
“Subject told me that he had one beer and chicken wings. He said he was on anti depressants,” Fuson wrote on the citation. Baird failed two field sobriety tests, but passed a portable blood alcohol level test.
On Jan. 8, Williamsburg Police Officer Tresa Gray charged Baird with operating a motor vehicle substance impaired about 12:50 a.m. following a traffic stop on I-75 near the 14 mile marker.
Gray noted on the citation that Baird was “all over both lanes of I-75N,” and that when she stopped him he had slurred speech, and was very unsteady on his feet.
The citation indicated Baird failed three field sobriety tests, and that he refused to provide a urine sample when first asked for one.
Following the latest arrest, a medical screening form filled out by Whitley County Detention Center staff noted that Baird didn’t appear to be under the influence of alcohol, or drugs, and that he didn’t show visible signs of alcohol or drug withdrawal symptoms when he was booked at the jail. The form did indicate that Baird told jail staff he was presently taking prescription medications.