Man facing criminal charges after overturning SUV in creek

A recent excursion landed a Rockville man in the drink and then the clink.

Fortunately, 39-year-old Burton J. Olson escaped serious injury after overturning his car in a creek in rural Greencastle last week.

He wasn’t quite as fortunate when the authorities arrived.

Deputy Robert Soilleux of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to County Road 25 North in Madison Township at 9:15 p.m. Thursday for a single-vehicle crash.

Deputies were informed that the vehicle had left the road and was inverted in Little Walnut Creek.

Fortunately, the driver, later identified as Olson, was able to escape while officers were en route.

Upon arrival, Soilluex found a 1993 Jeep Cherokee registered to Olson inverted in the creek. Olson was sitting in a nearby Chevrolet pickup, shivering uncontrollably.

Olson told Soilleux he was OK, but trying to get warm. He said he had been following a friend when he ran off the road because of ice.

Though Olson initially denied having consumed alcohol, the deputy observed signs of intoxication and witnesses told him Olson had been drinking.

He later admitted to drinking and agreed to a portable breath test, which revealed a .24 alcohol concentration equivalent — three times the legal limit.

After declining to consent to a chemical test, Olson was taken into custody and taken to Putnam County Hospital and then to the Putnam County Jail, where he was booked in on preliminary charges of driving as a habitual traffic offender and driving while intoxicated - refusal, with prior convictions.

On Friday, the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office formally charged him with Level 6 felony driving as a habitual traffic offender, Level 6 felony driving while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction and Class A misdemeanor driving while intoxicated endangering a person.