A Farmington Hills man who was driving drunk on July 4 in Brandon Township with his young children in the car has been arraigned on charges.
Vernon Eugene Baggett, 38, was arraigned July 6 by 52-2 District Court Magistrate Raguso on a charge of operating while intoxicated, occupants under 16, as well as a charge of open intoxicants in a vehicle.
According to police reports, deputies responded to southbound Ortonville Road near Glass Road at about 9:29 p.m. July 4 after a 9-1-1 call was made by occupants of another vehicle that the driver of a small red car wanted to fight them and was tailgating them.
Deputies stopped the car, driven by Baggett, on Ortonville Road, south of Oakhill Road. Baggett smelled strongly of intoxicants and had his two children, ages 12 and 8-years-old, in the backseat. When he was asked what happened with the other vehicle, Baggett said the occupants were harassing him and flipping him off. He said what he did was stupid, but he was protecting his kids.
A preliminary breathalyzer test showed he had a blood alcohol content of .230 percent.
A report of actual or suspected child abuse or neglect has been completed and faxed to the Family Independence Agency. The children’s mother picked them up at the Brandon substation.