A Ball State University student faces a felony charge after police said he tried to use $17 to bribe his way out of an operating a vehicle while intoxicated arrest, according to police reports.
Junior Jeremiah Lee Lowhorn, 21, faces a possible Class C felony charge, which carries a standard prison sentence of four years if he is convicted.
The Muncie Police Department's probable cause affidavit for Lowhorn's arrest states the following:
On Saturday, Muncie Police Sgt. Jay Turner was on patrol when he saw a Pontiac run through a red light and turn into oncoming traffic. Turner pulled the car over and noticed Lowhorn, who was driving, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled like alcohol.
When Turner asked Lowhorn for his license, he handed it over to the police sergeant with folded up cash.
Turner told Lowhorn he only needed the license, pointing out to Lowhorn that he was holding money, but Lowhorn responded by telling him "I know. Just make this go away. I can't get in trouble."
Turner told Lowhorn to put the money away, and Lowhorn responded by saying "Come on, let's just handle it this way," as he tried to hand the money to Turner again.
Another officer came to help Turner arrest Lowhorn, at which point they realized Lowhorn's passenger, Jeffrey S. Kemezy, had a warrant out for his arrest, and police arrested him as well.
During Lowhorn's field sobriety test, he repeatedly apologized for the attempted bribery.
"I did it because I do not want to go to jail," he told the officers, adding on that he did not want to jeopardize his future career.
While waiting for another squad car to transport Kemezy to Delaware County Jail, he told Turner "I just met that idiot (Lowhorn) tonight. I can't believe he'd bribe you."
When Lowhorn arrived at the jail, he had a blood-alcohol content of .18, and he was booked on preliminary charges of bribery and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Lowhorn could not be reached for comment about the incident Tuesday.
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