Another Center Township deputy constable hit with criminal charges

INDIANAPOLIS — A Center Township deputy constable is in hot water after a police investigation uncovered that he was driving while drunk in late August.

The allegations leveled against the deputy constable are the latest in a steady stream of criminal charges filed against members of the Center Township Constable’s Office, including Constable Denise Hatch — who is currently in the Marion County Jail with four pending felony cases.

The latest Center Township deputy constable facing legal trouble is 38-year-old Leonard Cummings. Cummings is charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated stemming from an Aug. 31 police investigation.

According to court documents, Cummings’ own wife called the police on her husband after an argument broke out between the couple during a drive home from the Lava Lounge.

The couple had allegedly been out at the club and got into an argument in the car after stopping at a fast food restaurant to get food.

Cummings’ wife accused him of striking her in the mouth while Cummings later told police his wife bit him on the wrist. Police noted bite marks on Cummings’ wrist and a “little bit” of lacerated skin on the wife’s top lip.

While speaking to officers, Cummings reportedly denied being at the club until police asked to look at his phone and saw photos of him and his wife at Lava Lounge timestamped at 2 a.m.

Cummings told officers he had only driven to the club to pick up his wife and then drove her to the restaurant to get food. Officers noted that both Cummings and his wife appeared intoxicated.

According to court documents, Cummings agreed to a blood draw but not a breathalyzer. He later told police he didn’t understand how he could be under investigation for driving while drunk when police didn’t catch him driving.

Officers told Cummings he already admitted to driving to the club and to the fast food restaurant.

On Sept. 13, police received the results of the blood draw which showed that Cummings had a blood alcohol content of .121% on Aug. 31, above the legal limit of .08%.

Two misdemeanor charges were officially filed against Cummings on Sept. 30 and a subpoena was sent that summons him to a court hearing on Nov. 14.

Cummings served under Constable Hatch as a lieutenant in the Center Township Constable’s Office. Cummings spoke to FOX59/CBS4 in February on behalf of the office in the wake of Hatch “cleaning house” and terminating all of her deputies . This wave of terminations came after several deputy constables were arrested.

Cummings was temporarily terminated, but deputies with clean backgrounds were allowed to return.

“We’re currently working on fixing all the issues with the township,” Cummings remarked at the time.

Previous Center Township deputy constables arrested by police include Telesavalis Siggers and Semorris Powell .

After having her bond revoked, Constable Hatch was recently returned to Marion County Jail. To read the latest about her legal issues, click here .

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