Change of plea hearing scheduled in OVI case against Miami County Sheriff’s wife

MIAMI COUNTY — A change of plea hearing has been scheduled in the OVI case involving the wife of the Miami County sheriff, according to court records.

Sheri Duchak, 52, the wife of Sheriff Dave Duchak, previously pleaded not guilty to charges of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content greater than .236 that were filed in Miami County Municipal Court stemming from her Aug. 8 arrest in Piqua.

The hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11.

Retired Kettering Municipal Court Judge Thomas Hanna has been assigned to the case, and a special prosecutor was appointed.

According to a Piqua Police Department report, an officer at Pisenbarger Park saw a woman, later identified as Sheri Duchak, drive across the center line of South Street and strike a curb, then drive across a sidewalk, through the grass and over the parking lot curb. Her vehicle also hit a grass island barrier with a concrete curb before pulling up to a cruiser parked in the parking lot. The officer reported Duchak appeared confused with bloodshot and glassy eyes.

During the incident, Duchak told the officer that her husband is the Miami County sheriff and repeatedly told the officer to call “Bruce,” referring to Piqua Police Chief Bruce Jamison, and said they would lose their jobs, the report stated.

In an audio recording of the conversation, obtained by this news organization through a records request, Duchak told officers, “the two of you are in peril.”

On Aug. 23, Piqua police reported they received the results of Duchak’s urine test, which showed her blood-alcohol content was .360. This is more than four times Ohio’s legal driving limit of .08.

Jamison and Sheriff Dave Duchak both praised the department’s professionalism in handling Sheri Duchak’s arrest.

According to court records, attorney Jack Hemm is representing Duchak.

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