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Former Sheriff’s Deputy charged with DUI
Posted On 01 Jul 2015
A former Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Whitley District Court on a DUI charge.
On June 18, Whitley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kirk Mays charged ex-deputy Benjamin T. Hodge, 31, of New Zion Road, with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle.
Hodge, current Sheriff Colan Harrell confirmed, is he son of former Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge who is now serving a 15.5-year federal prison sentence for corruption. He was a deputy during Hodge’s administration.
About 8:13 p.m. on June 18, Mays responded to a motor vehicle accident that involved Hodge, according to an arrest citation.
When Mays spoke with Hodge, he allegedly had a strong smell of alcoholic beverage on his person, had slurred speech, red bloodshot eyes and was very unsteady on his feet, Mays wrote on the arrest citation.
Hodge couldn’t correctly complete the one-leg stand or alphabet test, and refused to do the nine-step walk and turn, according to the citation.
The arrest citation indicates that Hodge refused to take a breathalyzer test.
Hodge was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center at 10:36 p.m. on June 18 and was released from jail about 12:17 p.m. the following day on a $750 surety bond, according to court records.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday at 1 p.m. before District Judge Fred White.
Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy David Rowe assisted at the scene.
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I do not know anything about Lawrence s children but more law should be up there serving time with him. He is serving his time so leave him alone.A bad apple will ruin the whole bushel. All Hodges are not bad, his brother is one of the finest men I knew and was a good honest cop. We have always had corrupt in leaders of this town and county and I guess we will always have it.
Mary… also because he is Lawrence Hodge’s son who worked for him during his “reign” of terror.
Lawrence Hodge ran a criminal enterprise that Benjamin was part of even if he didn’t go to prison. His past criminal associations are certainly newsworthy when he commits a crime.
Just why was Lawrence Hodge name brought into this ? He turned bad but he is serving his time for it. That line should not have been in that report. Bad news reporting.
Just why was Lawrence Hodge name brought into this ? He turned bad but he is serving his time for it. That line should not have been in that report. Bad news reporting.