A newly-elected judge in Franklin County, Ohio was arrested, charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence.
Judge Monica Hawkins, 54, was stopped by Pickerington Police on the night of January 31. Hawkins is a domestic relations/juvenile court judge.
On January 31 police Sgt. Chad Wallace responded to a emergency call about an erratic driver.
The written police report indicates that Hawkins pulled her Infiniti sedan over in the parking lot of a Subway after the officer activated the cruiser lights. Officer Mercedes Gavins wrote that Hawkins had nearly hit the curb, crossed lane markings, and had been making abrupt stops. Gavins wrote in the report that the judge smelled like alcohol, and identified herself as a judge.
Hawkins failed field sobriety tests. Hawkins was arrested but once taken to the police station, she refused to sign a waiver of her Miranda rights and refused to submit to more tests.
A warrant had to be obtained to have her blood drawn. Hawkins was taken to Ohio Health Hospital so police could get a blood alcohol sample, but she refused to provide the blood sample even after being advised of the warrant. Cops had to hold her down to get a blood sample.
Hawkins was released to relatives, and is due in Fairfield Municipal court on Feb. 14.
Hawkins, who ran in the primary election as a Democrat, was a Franklin County Children Services caseworker for a decade. She then earned her law degree and worked as a staff attorney for the agency. She also had been an assistant city prosecutor for Columbus, Ohio.
Hawkins was appointed as judge in January 2019.