BROWNSTOWN — It sounds like the setup to a classic bar joke: a man walks into a jail to bail out his friend, only to end up in a cell himself. However, for Jackson County authorities, this punchline became a reality last Tuesday, April 7.
Alejandro Asencio Alomar, 44, of Columbus, now faces criminal charges after allegedly driving to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office while significantly intoxicated.
The incident began when Sheriff Rick Meyer was called to the jail lobby following reports of a strong odor of alcohol clinging to a visitor. That visitor was identified as Alomar, who had arrived with the intention of posting bond for a current inmate.
According to police reports, Alomar was candid with the county’s top law enforcement officer. He admitted to driving himself to the facility and even pointed out exactly where his vehicle was parked. Sheriff Meyer later reviewed jail surveillance footage, which confirmed Alomar had indeed operated the vehicle to get to the station.
Deputy Alan Jones was called in to assist with the investigation. After noting clear signs of impairment, a certified breath test was administered. The results showed Alomar had a blood alcohol content of 0.228%.
In Indiana, the legal limit for driving is 0.08%, meaning Alomar was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of his arrival.
“I can’t believe someone would drive to the Sheriff’s Office with a blood alcohol content almost three times the legal limit,” Sheriff Meyer stated.
In a bizarre twist of administrative irony, Alomar was successful in his original mission: he managed to bond out the individual he came to help. However, as his friend walked out the front door, Alomar was escorted through the back on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol content of 0.15% or greater.
He was booked into jail at 2:24 p.m. He posted his own bail of $705 and was released.
