Drunk On-Duty Officer Wrecks Police Car, Refuses Tests

Drunk On-Duty Officer Wrecks Police Car, Refuses Tests

Nine minutes of footage from this video were published roughly one year ago when the Piqua Police Department proactively disclosed the footage to a local news station. This is the first time that the entirety of the footage is available for public view.*

The following is excerpted from a supplemental report written by Lieutenant Rick Byron of the Piqua Police Department:

"On October 27, 2018 at approximately 1937 hours I was requested by Officer Justin Augustine to meet him behind the old Board of Education Office at 719 E Ash Street. Officer Augustine made the request over the radio.

Upon arrival in the area I observed Officer Augustine's patrol vehicle (P145) parked next to a flatbed semi-trailer loaded with concrete barriers used to separate lanes in road construction areas. Officer Yingst was also present as he had been previously requested by Officer Augustine to meet him at this location to talk.

After exiting my patrol vehicle I was approached by Officer Augustine. Officer Augustine stated "I was trying to take a piss over there. " Officer Augustine was pointing toward the Southeast corner of the building. Officer Augustine was asked to repeat what he said and he again stated "I was trying to take a piss over there." I asked Officer Augustine why he was telling me this and he advised "Because I f’d my cruiser up." From where I parked and the location I was speaking with Officer Augustine I could not see any damage to his patrol vehicle.

Officer Augustine walked me to the passenger side of his patrol vehicle where I observed significant damage to the entire passenger side starting at the front windshield and ending on the rear quarter panel. The windshield and both passenger side door windows were broken. I asked Officer Augustine what happened and he stated "I was trying to take a piss," I asked Officer Augustine how fast he was going and he stated 20 mph.

While Officer Augustine was gathering his personal backpack and other items I observed him drop a handcuff key on the ground. I advised him he dropped it and he was unable to bend over to pick it up and fell forward stepping over it. Officer Augustine never picked up the key so I picked it up and handed it to him

After Officer Yingst left with Officer Augustine, I photographed the damage to P145 and the trailer that was struck. I had previously had dispatch contact Lumpkins Towing to pick up the patrol vehicle and take it to their shop to be placed inside. While the tow truck operator was on scene Officer Yingst arrived back and advised that he felt I needed to go on station to deal with Officer Augustine as he appeared to be impaired and was demonstrating odd behavior to include hugging and kissing him and other officers and telling them that he loved them."

Officer Augustine resigned. He was later found guilty of first-degree misdemeanor weapon under the influence, amended down from fifth-degree felony improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, and first-degree misdemeanor physical control of vehicle while under the influence, amended down from an OVI. He was sentenced to one year of probation, 177 days of suspended jail time, a $300 fine, and court costs, plus an additional three days in jail, which were dismissed after he completed an educational program.