MASON COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper has been arrested in West Virginia.

According to a criminal complaint from the Mason County Magistrate Court, Kenneth Cottrill, 29, of Chillicothe, Ohio, is facing a charge of driving under the influence, first offense, after a traffic stop in Mason County. The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirms that Cottrill is employed as a trooper with the OSHP.

The complaint says authorities noticed a vehicle with an Ohio license plate driving on 3rd Street around 9:20 p.m. Sunday, April 16, 2023. According to the complaint, the vehicle drove to the intersection of 3rd Street and Main Street, where it allegedly ignored the stop sign and a “No Right Turn” sign, before turning right onto Main Street.

According to the complaint, the vehicle allegedly started going the wrong way on Main Street, a one-way street, then turned into the yard of a nearby building. Authorities say the driver then parked, got out of the vehicle and started walking east along Main Street. The complaint states authorities attempted to stop the driver, but he allegedly attempted to avoid them by walking between the buildings.

Authorities say they eventually caught up to the suspect, who allegedly admitted to drinking. The complaint states authorities smelled an “odor of an alcoholic beverage” coming from the suspect. Authorities also said the suspect allegedly was staggering while walking and had allegedly urinated on himself.

According to the complaint, the suspect allegedly tried to tell authorities he had a shot at a nearby home, but could not locate the “brown house” or who he was allegedly visiting. Authorities then conducted three field sobriety tests, which he allegedly failed.

The criminal complaint states during the “walk and turn” sobriety test, the suspect lost his balance while authorities were explaining the test, and allegedly stated he would rather they arrest him. Authorities say the suspect allegedly refused to blow into a PBT and also refused the intoximeter test.