34-year-old Michael Stinfer
KOSCIUSCKO COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO): A Warsaw man running for the District 22 Indiana House of Representatives seat is facing a felony charge of driving while intoxicated from August.
34-year-old Michael Stinfer is running as an Independent, against Republican Curt Nisly and Democrat David Kolbe. The Elkhart Truth reports he was “taken in” for a blood test which showed an elevated blood-alcohol level. A campaign spokesperson says the drinking that led to the August stop is Stinfer's response to post-combat stress, resulting from his military service in Iraq. The spokesperson says Stinfer isn't an alcoholic and the the new charges won't cause him to drop out of the contest.</span>
Stinfer was booked and released Wednesday on the felony OWI charge. Bond had been set at $15,000.
Stinfer was also arrested in Elkhart County back in April, charged with operating while intoxicated and endangering a person. A judge accepted a plea agreement for the endangering a person charge and Stinfer pleaded guilty to the driving while intoxicated charge.