By John Estridge
There is an old saying that the best thing to do when one gets into trouble is to drop the shovel and get out of the hole instead of digging the hole deeper.
A Fairfield, Ohio man should have taken that advice early Friday morning, October 2.
Ronald S. Winans, 36, has been charged with one misdemeanor and two felonies from alleged activities between Batesville and Oldenburg along Indiana 229.
It started with Winans allegedly leaving his vehicle along Ind. 229 or close to it and taking off on foot from the Batesville area toward Oldenburg. He is alleged to have been drunk while he was behind the wheel of his vehicle. That is a class A misdemeanor.
At some point, around 1:10 a.m., police allege Winans tried to break into a house along Ind. 229. That is a Level 6 Felony.
Once he was put into custody by Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Bryce Jenkins, Winans is alleged to have attempted to escape. That is a Level 5 Felony.
Thus, Winans received a charge of Driving While Intoxicated Endangerment, as a class A misdemeanor; Attempted Residential Entry, as a Level 6 Felony; and Escape, as a Level 5 Felony.
Winans had an initial hearing on Tuesday, October 6, in front of Franklin Circuit Court 2 Judge Clay Kellerman. A pretrial conference was scheduled for December 10, and a jury trial is set for 8:30 a.m., February 10, 2021.
If convicted of a Level 5 Felony, Winans could receive a sentence of one to six years in prison. A Level 6 Felony conviction has a sentence range of six months to 2.5 years. And a class A misdemeanor conviction carries with it a sentence of up to one year in the Franklin County Security Center.