A Leesburg man was arrested after allegedly driving under the influence and injuring two people.
Paul Andrew Schacht, 56, of 58 EMS T13B Lane, Leesburg, is charged with two counts of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle, level 5 felonies.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 8:37 a.m. Sunday on a $15,000 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Aug. 5, 2023, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched to a crash with an injury. Prior to arrival, the deputy was told by Kosciusko County Dispatch one of the drivers, later identified as Schacht, had to be pulled from his vehicle and was exhibiting signs of possible intoxication.
Two deputies arrived on scene and located the drivers involved in the collision. The driver of the other vehicle suffered a cut to the hand and the passenger in that vehicle had an injury to the left leg, which was later diagnosed as having several different types of fractures.
While speaking with Schacht, one of the deputies smelled alcohol coming from Schacht. Schacht’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, his speech was slurred and his movements appeared to be lethargic. The deputy asked if Schacht had any injuries from the accident and Schacht said he did not, according to court documents.
The deputy administered Standard Field Sobriety Tests and proceeded to the Portable Breath Test. Schacht initially refused to provide a breath sample, at which time the deputy read Schacht the Implied Consent Warning for a Fatal or Serious Bodily Injury Crash. Schacht then provided a breath test, which registered at 0.235% BrAC.
Schacht was transferred to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital, where a blood sample was drawn. On Aug. 25, 2023, the lab sent results of the chemical test, which showed a level of 0.280% blood alcohol content.