CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — An incident report filed with the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office is offering new details into the arrest of Linton basketball coach Joey Hart.
According to the incident report, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, around 2:29 a.m. multiple local law enforcement agencies, including Linton and Jasonville Police Departments, were contacted by Clay County Dispatch regarding multiple witness reports of a red van that was stopped in the middle of SR 159, south of SR 246.
The report states that the vehicle “was stopped in the middle of the roadway with a male driver that appeared to be ‘passed out’ in the driver seat. The caller also reported that they were unsure if the vehicle was in park or drive.”
Authorities later received an update from Clay County Dispatch saying witnesses reported the van had moved from SR 159 to the Lewis Township Firehouse on SR 59 and Public Street in Coalmont, Indiana.
The driver of the van was identified as Hart. The report stated during a discussion with police, Hart had red eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol. Hart denied all forms of sobriety testing requested at the scene by authorities.
The report also noted one other vehicle also parked at the firehouse behind the red van and later confirmed the vehicle belonged to a witness who said they found Hart in the van asleep on SR 159 and offered to have Hart follow them to a safe location. The witness also stated that Hart was “all over the road” before they decided to slow the vehicles to a complete stop and guide Hart to a closer safe location. Authorities arrived on the scene shortly after.
WTWO reached out to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for more documentation and is awaiting a response to a public records request.
