Three drivers get DUIs in 3 hours

One driver, who has one prior DUI conviction, also was charged with a marked lanes violation and driving with a suspended license.
Cary Ashby
Dec 14, 2012


Three area drivers were charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in less than three hours on the same day this weekend.

Three troopers with the Norwalk post of the state Highway Patrol made the traffic stops, with the first happening at 12:27 a.m. Sunday. The last stop happened about two hours and 45 minutes later. All three incidents happened in the Norwalk area.

Brandon J. Puder, 25, of 13504 Ohio 61, Collins, was stopped by Trooper Thomas Halko at the intersection of Prospect and Franklin streets at 12:27 a.m. Sunday. Puder, who has one prior DUI conviction, was charged with DUI, a marked lanes violation and driving with a suspended license.

His breath alcohol content (BAC) tested at .179 percent, Halko reported. The legal limit for drivers in Ohio is .08 percent.

At 1:42 a.m., Nathan G. Heckelman, 23, of 3 Chelsea Drive, was stopped by Trooper Austin Young on Woodlawn Avenue near Pitt Street. Heckelman was charged with DUI and going left of center. His BAC tested a hair above the legal limit at .081 percent, the trooper reported.

Vincent J. Ulizzi, 30, of Huron, was charged with DUI and speeding (54 mph in a 45 mph zone) in connection with a Whittlesey Road traffic stop north of Lovers Lane Road. The stop happened at 3:10 a.m.

Ulizzi, who has one prior DUI conviction, refused a sobriety test.


hit the road jack

Why do the SHP cruise the city streets looking for drunks? doesn't Norwalk have their own police? If I were mayor I'd tell the commander to keep his kids out of town.

Game time

Sounds like they were sitting on Charlies/Rupps. Stops on Prospect, Woodlawn and Whittlesey Ave are not state routes. Quit padding your stats OSP!!!


can't, they also have jurisdiction.

hit the road jack

They aren't supposed to sit on city streets and patrol them inside city limits,Duncan,your making your police look bad by letting this go on,tell the commander to keep his kids off your streets,once they leave the city their yours.


You are severely misinformed. The OSHP has Law Enforcement powers and jurisdiction anywhere in the state. Don't take my word for it, look it up. The city could care less if OSHP or Norwalk PD picks them up. Either way the offender is summoned to their court, and they make money from the fines.

hit the road jack

They only get away with it because idiots like you let them!


Gee htrj sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me.

hit the road jack

If the SHP is controlling the crime on city streets why do we need to pay for city cops? hell,lets just get the SHP to protect Norwalk? sound good to you? wouldn't bother me much either,I'm just trying to justify all the cops Norwalk has on their payroll.


Isn't Brandon Puder the kid who was in the paper awhile ago for sexually assaulting a teenage girl while drunk at a party?


Same last name, Differnt person but I know the case you talking about.


Great job on doing your job. You people wouldn't be complaining if one of these guys killed someone while driving drunk!!!!