Jennings County man arrested for OVI, Child Endangerment

NORTH VERNON, Ind. - The Jennings County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) took a Commiskey man into custody on charges related to OWI and Neglect of a Dependent on February 26.

Jennings County Dispatch received a 911 call reporting an accident that involved a vehicle that had collided with a tree on County Road 800S, near Graham Creek Elementary School. A male driver and a small infant child were in the car. 

JCSO deputies located the male driver, Joseph McGrath, 31, of Commiskey, standing outside the vehicle, which had full airbag deployment and heavy front-end damage.   

A child, under the age of 2, was located inside the vehicle, but did not appear to have any visible injury.    

As deputies began speaking with the driver to gather details of the accident, they say they detected the odor of alcoholic.

McGrath allegedly refused to cooperate and was detained. He was transported to the Sheriff’s Office, where JCSO applied for and was granted a Warrant for Blood Draw through the Jennings County Circuit Court.   

After the blood draw at St. Vincent Jennings Hospital, the suspect was taken to the Jennings County Jail and preliminarily charged with: 

• Operating while Intoxicated w/Endangerment (Level 6 Felony)
• Neglect of a Dependent (Level 6 Felony)