A Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy is on leave after he was recently arrested for operating while intoxicated.
Cody O’Hare, 46, of Tiffin, was pulled over by a Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, after allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign near Forevergreen Road and Jasper Avenue in Tiffin.
O’Hare is a Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy who has worked for the department for 10 years, according to a press release.
The deputy who made the intial stop noted several signs of intoxication, including “a strong smell of an alcoholic beverage.”
A department spokesperson said O’Hare was off duty when the arrest was made. He has been placed on administrative leave.
Iowa State Patrol investigates Johnson County deputy
Iowa State Patrol was asked to investigate O’Hare further after contact was made with a sheriff’s office supervisor. A state trooper asked O’Hare how much he had to drink and when he last had an alcoholic beverage, but O’Hare allegedly said he had not been drinking.
O’Hare allegedly refused a field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test. The officer susbsequently placed O’Hare in his Iowa State Patrol vehicle and noted a strong smell of alcohol and bloodshot eyes.
O’Hare was placed under arrest for operating while intoxicated. He took a breath test that allegedly revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.14, which was nearly double the legal limit of 0.08.
O’Hare aides sheriff’s office patrol in Tiffin
O’Hare, according to a 2024 Gazette report, is one of two Johnson County sheriff’s deputies tasked with heading the department’s Tiffin division. The sheriff’s office agreed to provide 12-hour day shifts and a minimum of six hours of patrol in Tiffin every night, according to the Gazette.
The Gazette also said the sheriff’s office is expected to add two more officers to the Tiffin patrol in the next year.
O’Hare will make a court appearance at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26.
(This article has been updated to fix an inaccuracy.)
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Johnson County sheriff’s deputy placed on leave for allegedly operating while intoxicated
Reporting by Ryan Hansen, Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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