Drunk driver sentenced for crash into center

John A. Ottensmeier gets year’s probation, ordered to pay restitution for damages

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A man who crashed his car into the library of Marion’s Assisted Living Center in April was sentenced to probation, two days in jail, and ordered to pay restitution.

John A. Ottensmeier was sentenced Feb. 17 to a year’s probation and ordered to spend 48 hours in jail for driving under the influence.

Ottensmeier was driving his 2011 GMC Sierra east on Denver St. early in the morning April 19 when he ran a stop sign at Denver and Eisenhower Sts. and crashed his Sierra into the front of the building, police said at the time.

The crash caused significant damage to the facility’s library room, but fortunately no residents were hurt.

Ottensmeier’s blood alcohol content, measured by breath analysis, was 0.229. Kansas’ legal drinking limit is 0.08.

He was charged with driving under the influence, failure to report an accident, and running a stop sign.

He attempted to get a diversion on the charges, but the judge denied diversion in the case.

Ottensmeier pleaded no contest Oct. 21 to driving under the influence and the other two charges were dropped.

None of the residents at Assisted Living were injured in the incident. All were sleeping when the crash happened.

Ottensmeier was ordered to pay $1,263, of which $208 is restitution to the assisted living center. He was ordered also to serve 25 hours community service.