Martin County magistrate charged with DUI, other offenses

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

INEZ — Martin County District 2 Magistrate Roger Preece was arrested by Kentucky State Police Trooper Dustin Thompson on Aug. 11 on alcohol- and traffic-related offenses on Davella Road.

Roger D. Preece, 60, is charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, aggravating circumstances; second-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle; resisting arrest; reckless driving; all-terrain vehicles violations; and failure of owner to maintain required insurance.

According to the arrest report, KSP Post 9 received numerous calls that Preece was “highly intoxicated” and operating a side by side on Davella Road. One complaint stated that Preece was operating the side by side with his pants pulled down, the report said.

Thompson patrolled the area and eventually located Preece after being stopped by a resident of the area, who stated that Preece was wearing a bright orange shirt and that the side by side was camo in color, the report said.

“I turned my cruiser and began to follow the side by side,” Thompson said in the report. “I observed the vehicle swerving from left to right and on the grass on the side of the roadway at one point. I activated my emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle failed to stop, at which point I began activating my siren. The vehicle still failed to stop. I fully activated my siren and continued to follow the vehicle at a slow speed.”

Thompson said in the report that the vehicle continued to swerve, and Preece began turning the headlights off and back on.

“Due to the erratic operation and no traffic on the roadway, I continued following the vehicle at the slow speed it was traveling,” the report said. “The side by side began to make a left hand turn onto a small side road at which point I followed. Preece then stopped the side by side. I immediately exited my crusier and approached the operator giving commands to exit the side by side, which Preece failed to do. As I continued approaching, I began smelling a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage and continued giving commands to exit the vehicle. Preece did not turn the vehicle off and did not exit the vehicle at which time I grabbed him and removed him from his position of operation. I picked him up off the ground and continued to escort him to my cruiser.”

Thompson said Preece had “very slurred speech” and a “very strong odor of alcohol,” and that he was “very unbalanced and had a hard time standing.”

Preece was put in handcuffs and placed into the back seat of Thompson’s cruiser, the report said. Due to his balance issues and flight risk, SFSTs were not preformed.

Preece was transported to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, where implied consent was read and he declined to contact an attorney but submitted to a breath test, which showed his level at .173, the report said.

Preece did not request a personal test and was very apologetic for his actions, Thompson also said in the report.