Ohio – Many of us have posted things on social media that we lived to regret.
For some, it resulted in a spat with relatives — or friends with hurt feelings, but an Ohio man is facing serious consequences after a Facebook post that landed him in handcuffs.
The sheriff says Dustin Rittgers posted this video on his personal Facebook page, with no privacy settings, taking a swig of alcohol while he’s behind the wheel of a car.
“You’ve got a distracted driver and a drunk driver just exponentially causing danger wherever he went,” said Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott.
A Facebook friend comments, ‘Dude, really!!!!!’
Rittgers responds ‘I am a good driver don’t worry,’ and goes on to comment, ‘I’ve got one finger on the steering wheel Facebooking while it’s raining. Smh,’ which means “shaking my head.” ‘I am good. I am a pro.’
The sheriff says remember Rittgers is typing all of this while he’s driving.
“He’s got his hands full when he’s trying to drive. He’s drinking and he’s paying attention to his phone. I mean we are ,I think, very fortunate this didn’t end with some type of tragedy,” Sheriff Scott said.
The sheriff says a tipster warned deputies Rittgers was drinking and driving.
Deputies tracked the suspect’s car down and pulled him over near state Route 665 and Hibbs Road.
Rittgers is facing criminal charges including operating a vehicle impaired and open container.
The sheriff says Rittger’s Facebook post is evidence that could help prove those charges.
“There’s no privacy issues going on here. He posted. He confessed. He gave us the evidence,” Sheriff Scott said.
But Rittger’s family says people shouldn’t be quick to judge, saying he recently suffered an unspeakable tragedy.
“He’s really smart, he’s just going through a lot, it’s too much for him to handle,” said Amber Boothe, Rittger’s girlfriend.
Rittgers has faced operating a vehicle impaired charges twice before– in 2007 and 2011.
