Now, you stay right here. Stop right there. You got a gun with you. Don't act this way. Don't. >> Sheriff, don't. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> For what? >> For driving under the influence of alcohol. You got a gun on you. >> Really? >> Yes. Matt, you're under arrest. >> Don't you resist. Don't. Why you drinking like Why you driving after drinking this much? Why am I kidding you? I can't believe you're kidding me. Making me in this situation. >> You puked all over your car. It smells like alcohol. You can hardly walk. That's the elected sheriff of Champagne County, Ohio. A man who spent nearly three decades in law enforcement. And those officers who just arrested him, they work in his county. But the traffic stop was just the beginning. What happened inside that station is something no one in that building expected to hear from the top cop in Champagne County. >> How you doing tonight? >> How are you doing? >> Doing pretty good. I'm turn police division. The reason we stop >> uh kind of all over the road back there and then you stopped at a green light. >> Yeah. Yes, sir. All right. You smell an alcoholic beverage and there's vomit on the side of the vehicle right now. >> Yes, sir. You >> have your driver's license on by chance? >> What was it? >> Urbana PD. 24. I just got a response back on your Thank you. They're back with you. Okay. >> Yeah, there's vomit on the side of the car. >> There he is. >> Yeah, he's he's hammered. >> Step out. >> Yeah. >> Don't mess around with it. >> Okay. All right. Yes, sir. I might have you step out of the vehicle. >> Yes, sir. >> It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the evidence on this one. You can likely smell the vomit coming through the screen with the amount coming down the side of his truck. As a result, police decide to take immediate action. >> Come on, walk over here. Okay, man. What are you doing? What are you? Oh, okay. I just want to make sure you're not grabbing something. All right. Really? No one over here. It's all right. Go over here where it's flat. Okay. >> Me. >> What's that? >> Really? >> Really? What? >> We're just going to go over here. What's flat, man? We're going to do some tests. All right. >> Yeah. >> That's Sergeant Schmidt. And he's calling the driver Matt. Not sir. Matt, first name. Because Matthew Melvin isn't a stranger to these officers. He's their boss. The elected sheriff of Champagne County, Ohio. the highest ranking law enforcement official in the entire county. >> You can make a phone call. >> All right. Amazing. >> Where you want to take me? >> What's that? >> Over here to this pavement to do some tests. >> Okay. >> All right. >> All right. You stand on over here. >> No. >> No. What? >> Freezing. It's cold out. >> Yeah. Ow. Are you Are you trying to call Josh Jacobs? >> No. All right. All right. Well, let's get done with that and let's go ahead and finish these tests. All right. Are you refusing to take the test? Is that what you're doing? >> Matt, are refusing to take the test? No, I'm not referring to that. >> All right, then. Let's go over here to where it's flat. >> I'd like to go home. >> Okay. Well, we'll do this testing first. Make sure you're okay to drive, man. It's just strong smell, alcohol. You can't drive very well. And there's puke down the side of your car. I'm not getting down on the side of my car. >> There is. >> No, you're not. >> Melvin knows exactly what a field sobriety test is. He's administered them himself. He's trained officers on when to request them. He knows that if he takes those tests right now, the results are going to confirm what everyone on this scene already knows. So, his tactic is to stall in the hopes that it all goes away and he can go home. >> There is. >> No, there's not. >> Yes, there is. >> There's not. >> Okay. So, we're going to do some tests to make sure you're safe to drive. You're refusing to take the test. We'll be placing you under arrest for OVI. >> Really? >> Yes. You're absolutely amazing. >> I'm asking you to take some field sobriety test, Matt. Can you do that? Let us know in the comments. Have you ever seen a DUI suspect been given this much leeway before taking a field sobriety test? >> All right, let's get our stuff done first here and you can make some phone calls here in a minute. All right. >> What's that? >> All right, we step on over here. We're going to take some field sobriety tests. All right, Matt. >> Are you refusing? >> Are you refusing to take the test? That's why I'm asking you. In his disbelief that his own officers aren't just letting him drive home, Melvin continues with the delay tactics and as a result doesn't see what happens next. >> Well, then I'm going to have to place you under arrest for OBI. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> For what? >> For driving under the influence of alcohol. You got a gun on you. >> Really? >> Yes. Matt, you're under arrest. >> Don't you resist. Don't. >> Really? Come on. >> The sweatshirt caught on. >> You're amazing. >> Thank you. Other hand, please. Other hand, please. Don't resist. >> He's got broad shoulders. Get the set of cuffs out. I'm not trying to bind him up. >> I don't think you are. >> You think I am? >> I said I don't think you are. It's cuz there's two of them on my back here. >> All right. I know you're not. You're [ __ ] amazing. >> I'm going to leave you a knife in the truck. All right. Is that cool with you? >> Yeah. >> Huh? You're sitting in the truck? >> Yeah. All right. You got the right to be silent. You understand that? Anything you say can be used against you in court. You understand that? Have the right to speak with an attorney before any questioning. If you can't afford one, won't be provided for you by the court. You understand those rights? You understand? >> You know I'm doing my job. >> You know I'm doing my job. That's not what you say to a stranger. That's what you say to someone you've worked with, someone whose authority you've operated under. These officers aren't enjoying this. They're doing the exact thing Matthew Melvin trained them to do. I know you know what I'm doing. Huh? Come on. This way. All right. All right. Turn around. Put your butt down first. I see so hard. All right. Put your butt down first and slide in. Oh, damn. Dude, I'm trying to hurt your [ __ ] You all right? You all right, man? All right. Again. Okay, >> even after the arrest, they're still trying to do him a favor by parking his truck around the corner, saving him the toe fee. Not something any of our other case suspects get the luxury of having. They are making this easier on him by the minute, but he refuses to work with them. They still do him a solid. God. Heat. Heat. Heat. There's vomit with a heavy smell of alcohol on the vehicle. While Melvin sits in the back of the cruiser, the officer walks around the truck documenting what he finds. This is the truck belonging to the county sheriff, a man who 8 months earlier ran a re-election campaign promising to enforce OVI laws and keep the roads of Champagne County safe. If you're into body cam stories and moments that make you say, "Wait, what?" Hit subscribe and let's get back to it. >> Here. All right, let's real quick, man. Let's have a couple things in your pockets and we'll get those things out. >> Jesus. >> Yeah. Cute potatoes are talking. I can fit my finger in there. Look at that. Mhm. All right. Just have a seat right over here, man. Yes. In that scuffle over there. Put your cuffs away for me. All right. So, what we're going to do, obviously, we're going to go over the 2255. Okay. And then once we get done with all that, we get call somebody. We're if if you fuse or whatever, either way, if you're going to get charged, we're going to do fingerprints. And if you call somebody, you can have them come pick you up. Yeah. Okay. So, I'm not trying to put nobody in jail or nothing like that. All right. You're going to This is your baby. So, you >> Huh? All right. Here's your copy. You won't follow along with it. >> All right. I'll start reading for OVI. Bring a vehicle under the influence. A drug or combination of them. Bring vehicle under influence. Ballistic control substance. Listen to all control substance covering vehicle. >> Hold on a second. >> Wait till she's done talking so you can hear everything clear. >> The officer is still going out of his way to reassure the sheriff that this doesn't have to be worse than it already is. Take the test. Call someone for a ride. Go home. That's the offer on the table. >> Yes. Start. >> You're under arrest for ODI. Operating a vehicle under the influence of drug. >> Yes. >> Operating a vehicle under the influence of elicited controlled substance or eliciting satellite of control substance. operating a vehicle after underage alcohol consumption or having physical control of the vehicle under the influence. If you refuse to take any chemicals as by law, your high driving privileges will be suspended immediately and you will have to pay a fee to have the privileges reinstated. >> Amazing. >> If you have a prior conviction of OBI or operating a vehicle under the influence of last control substance or list metabolite of control substance under state municipal law within the preceding 20 years, you are not for state OBI. If you refuse to take a chemical test, you will face increased penalties if you're subsequently are convicted of state OBI. If you take any chemical test required by law and or found to be over be at or over amount of alcohol, controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance in your whole blood, blood, tammer, plasma, breath, or urine as set by law. You'll have drug privileges immediately. >> Shaking and you will have to pay a fee to have privileges reinstated. If you take a chemical test, you may have an independent chemical test taken at your own expense. That form, the 2255, is Ohio's implied consent advisory. Every officer in the state reads it during an OVI arrest. Matthew Melvin has heard those words more times than he can count. He's trained officers on when and how to read them. Tonight, for the first time in his 28-year career, he's hearing them read to him. >> All right. Will you take the test? >> The breath test. Okay. Hit refus. Yes. >> What? >> Why you drinking like Why you driving after drinking this much? Why am I kidding you? I can't believe you're kidding me making me in this situation. >> You puked all over your car. It smells like alcohol. You can hardly walk. >> So, don't be like you're kidding me. I can't believe you put us in this situation. >> It'll It'll go a while. bring everything out. >> Melvin was reminded again that he puked all over his own car, rire of alcohol, and could barely walk. And Melvin's response, "You're kidding me? That's not confusion. That's a man who has spent his entire career on the other side of this situation and cannot process now being on the receiving end. They come get me. Police department." Yep. Thanks. She had me drink and I had you play game. >> It's not a game. So you start working on the paperwork. I'll go upstairs and do this print. So I mean since you refused the test, obviously you're being in charge of OVI. I got to do the prints. He's going to print up a ticket. We're going to fill out the 2255 as soon as is the show. Is that how you called? Soon as she gets here. Um, we'll get you out of here. Come on with me. Come around here. >> For what? >> For your fingerprints. >> For what? >> We have to do that when we have to make an OVI arrest. >> Refuse that. You >> can't refuse that. >> I can't. >> No. Have to put you in jail. >> No, I can't. >> Why would you refuse that? It's part of a booking process. >> I haven't done anything, John. You know, you and I both know that. Okay, then take the data message test. Prove that you're you're not drunk. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> You're driving all over the roadway. Stop at a green light. >> I have not been that. >> He's not talking to Officer Schmidt right now. He's talking to a man he's worked alongside for years, hoping that relationship means something in this room. And then he says something that changes the entire tone of this encounter. >> Puked all over your car. >> I did not. I have not puked on my car. Somebody else may have peaked on my car. >> Okay. Someone else puked on your car. Okay. Then why you driving so horribly? >> Why am I driving wet? >> Horribly. >> I'm not. >> Let that sink in. You and I both done that. The elected sheriff of Champagne County just told the officer booking him that they've both done this. Both driven drunk. Whether that's true or not isn't the point. The point is that the top law enforcement official in this county sitting in a booking room at 1:00 in the morning just said the quiet part out loud and then somebody else may have puked on my car at 1:00 in the morning in December in Urbana, Ohio. >> Okay. Then why don't you just take the test and prove I'm wrong? >> Why do you want to fight with me? >> I don't want to fight with you. >> No, you want to argue with me because of everybody else. >> Because everybody else what? >> Oh, really? I don't care about politics. Yes, you do. >> Give a [ __ ] >> You see me jumping up and down on the election stuff. I give a [ __ ] less about it. >> Just let me go home. >> You're going to go home. I told you that. >> Okay. >> Glad you got to take your fingerprints. >> Really? >> I do. >> No, you don't. You You and I both know you don't. I'm standing here perfectly doing with you. You don't know you. >> What? >> I'm standing here with you. >> I understand you're standing here with me. >> Okay. >> I got your fingerprints, man. >> No, you don't. >> Yeah. I'm not going to fight you. I'm not going to freaking roll around on the ground with you. Get your fingerprints. >> Let me go home. >> So, you're refusing to get fingerprints? >> Yeah. >> Without resisting arrest. Is that what you're saying? >> I'm not resisting arrest. Come on, man. >> Uh, >> you want me to call your boss? Are you >> They ain't going to answer the phone right now. >> It's 1:00 in the morning, man. >> Silly, >> huh? >> Because you guys are being silly. >> Why'd you call somebody for a ride home? I would have gave you a damn ride home. You don't look that far outside of town. >> Why are you being silly about it? >> Come on. Come back here. >> Where? >> We got to go to the freaking booking room while we wait. I'm just going to put you in the interview room. >> Here. >> I understand that. We got to get your tickets and stuff typed up. >> I would have given you a ride home. That's an officer telling the sheriff of his county, a man he clearly respects, that none of this had to happen. Not the arrest, not the booking, not the fingerprints. If Melvin had just called before getting behind the wheel, this officer would have driven him home himself. No report, no charges, no body cam footage. But that's not what happened. >> Give me a ticket while I walk perfectly normal >> out here. This one. Yeah. And that one. Okay. And then your citation is going to be for operating a vehicle on the influence of alcohol. All right. So, your court for day is going to be Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. Yes. >> You want more? >> We're not trying to hit you up on all kind of crap, man. So, all right. >> So, all right. So, this violation 3331A the code orders. You're beautiful. >> Your court date is, like I said, Friday morning, 9:00 a.m. You have any questions about that? >> Get into this copy of this. Any questions about any of this? Let's get you out of here. Even at the end, even after the refusals, the denial, the you and I both done that, these officers are still giving the sheriff every possible break. One citation, OVI. No resisting charge, no marked lanes violation, no obstruction for refusing fingerprints, just the OVI, a court date, and the door. You got your keys, right? Keys back to you. Keys in your pocket. Thank you. Here she 19. We're outside releasing him. Can you let her know? Oh, there. I see her now in the middle of where we both said. See, we both right there. Two banger. The hell was that? >> Huh? Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. >> All right. Have a good night. >> Matthew Melvin was still the sitting sheriff of Champagne County when he was arrested that night. His term didn't end for another 13 days. Earlier that year, Melvin had lost the Republican primary for sheriff to Chad Burroughs by nine votes. Nine. After a countywide recount, a 28-year career in law enforcement ended by single digits at the ballot box. And now, with less than two weeks left as sheriff, the man who spent nearly three decades enforcing the law was being booked under it. On April 21st, 2025, Melvin appeared in Champagne County Municipal Court and accepted a plea deal. The original OVI charge was reduced to physical control, a lesser offense that means the prosecution didn't have to prove he was actively driving the vehicle, only that he was in control of it while impaired. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 57 of those suspended, three days credited as time served, one year of community control, Ohio's version of probation, a $250 fine, $472 total with court costs, and a six-month driver's license suspension. In practical terms, Matthew Melvin did not serve a single additional day in jail. Let us know in the comments what stood out most, the you and I both done that line, the vomit denial, or the officers still trying to do him favors after everything? And if you want to see more cases where officers, sheriffs, and people in power face the same system they once ran, subscribe to Case Point and hit the notification bell so you don't miss the next