Man charged with 9th OVI offense after leaving scene of crash (original) (raw)

A 53-year-old man was charged with his ninth operating a motor vehicle under the influence by the Elyria Police Department.

Police arrested Scott Kohman at 8 p.m. May 14 in the Discount Drug Mart parking lot, 110 Chestnut Commons Drive, according to an Elyria police report.

Kohman also was charged with OVI refusal, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, stopping after an accident, right of way and driving under suspension, the report stated.

Kohman also had warrants out of the Elyria Police Department for failure to control, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under suspension.

At 7:30 p.m., five Elyria police officers responded to the area of Chestnut Common Drive for a motor vehicle accident in which the suspect fled the scene, according to the report.

The suspect vehicle was described as a white Chevrolet work van with a ladder on top bearing an Ohio registration.

Several witnesses told police the suspect was in a white utility van with a ladder on top of the van driving erratic, going the wrong way and appeared intoxicated.

The vehicle crash occurred in the 300 block of Chestnut Commons Drive.

A police officer saw Kohman in the rear area of the van and ordered him out of the vehicle.

The officer immediately smelled a strong odor of alcoholic coming from Kohman.

Kohman had trouble exiting through the rear of his van and his movements were unsteady, the report stated.

His speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and he seemed confused with officers’ presence and denied being in an accident when asked, according to the report.

Kohman told officers he’d had only two Long Island iced teas and had just come from a nearby pub.

Despite repeatedly denying being in a wreck, his van had damage on all sides.

Kohman had a suspended license and was convicted on eight OVI’s in 2024, 2020, 2020, 2012, 2005, 2003 and twice in 1998, the report stated.

Kohman was lodged in the Lorain County Jail on a $40,000 bond, according to jail records.