Man arrested after airport taxiway run

VW independent staff

An arrest was made Thursday morning, after the Van Wert Police Department received a rather unusual call that a man allegedly drove his car along the taxiway at the Van Wert County Regional Airport.

A witness told officers the man behind the wheel, Jared V. Collins, 45, of Van Wert was driving at a high rate of speed down the taxiway. Officers arrived at the scene shortly after 7 a.m. to find Collins trying to free his red Cadillac, which had become stuck in a ditch. He was told to stop for safety reasons, but Collins refused.

According to Chief Doug Weigle, Collins admitted to driving on the taxiway because he wanted to see how fast his car would go and he claimed he was going 150 miles per hour.

During the conversation, Collins showed signs of impairment and was eventually arrested for OVI. In addition, the investigating officer located a suspected meth pipe in his front right pocket.

He was transported to the police station and when it was time to go to jail, he refused to leave the processing room, but was taken to the Van Wert County Correctional Facility.

In addition to OVI, a first degree misdemeanor, Collins was charged with obstructing official business and trespassing on airport property, both second degree misdemeanor, possession of drug paraphernalia, a minor misdemeanor, and reckless operation on private property.