DON’T LIE TO THIS GUY

Elyria Township – Troopers and Firefighters responded to Route 113 just west of Murray Ridge Road early Saturday morning after receiving reports of a car that went off the road and down the hill. While rescuers were responding they were informed of possible multiple victims and one possible fatality.

The first on scene was Trooper AJ Torres of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Torres found 33 year old Michael Burgess of Elyria at the top of the hill with blood covering his face. Torres attempted to get information about the crash from Burgess as Elyria Township Firefighters rolled up on the scene.

Firefighters quickly made their way down the hill to check the car for additional victims. It wasn’t long after the Firefighters made it to the car that they yelled up to the top “there’s nobody in the car.”

Torres and Assistant Chief Russ Scarborough of the Elyria Township Fire Department began grilling Burgess on his story. Burgess continued to say he was not alone in the car at the time of the crash. As Firefighters below began searching the wooded area with flashlights Torres and Scarborough continued to question Burgess. The Burgess tossed out the famous line, “there has to be someone else in the car, I wasn’t driving.”

Burgess who smelled of alcohol was then escorted to Torres’ patrol car. After giving him a few minutes alone Torres asked him again to tell the truth. Burgess then said, “my sister is going to be pissed at me.” The car Burgess was driving, a 2008 Mitsubishi, belonged to his sister who is living with her military husband in another country. She had left the car with her brother to take care of while she is away.

Burgess refused any treatment or transport from Elyria Township Firefighters at the scene.

Torres took Burgess to the Lorain County Jail to perform a breathalyzer test where he blew a .203.

Burgess was charged with OVI and Failure to Control.


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