Official arrested, charge later dropped

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A charge for public intoxication against a member of the Board of Public Safety in Fort Wayne has been dropped.

Police arrested Quinton Dixie early Sunday morning after court documents said he got into an argument with an officer outside the American Legion at Hanna and Lewis streets.

The officer who filed the probable cause affidavit said he was preparing to issue a ticket to another individual when Dixie approached the officer.  Dixie was in the middle of the street with the officer and another man and refused to move to the sidewalk when asked, the affidavit said.

Police reported smelling an overpowering odor of alcohol on Dixie’s breath and the board member’s eyes were red and watery.

Police described the encounter as a volatile situation that would have only gotten worse had Dixie not been arrested.

A source told NewsChannel 15 that Dixie had mentioned his relationship with Rusty York, the chief of police during the argument.  York confirmed his name was dropped but said he was not contacted by Dixie.

“I didn’t get the impression that he was trying to evade the investigation,” York said.  “There has been no attempt by Public Safety to interfere with the process.  What the prosecutor decides to do with charging, I see as a very objective perspective.”

The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office dropped the charge against Dixie on Monday.  The office said Tuesday that the case was still under review, it could not comment further.

York suggested from his experience that the office might have questions as to whether there is enough probable cause to substantiate the charge.