2 arrested on intoxication charges in separate Sunday incidents

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 1:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Plymouth Police arrested two men on operating-while-intoxicated charges in separate incidents early Sunday morning.

The first arrest came at approximately 2:48 a.m., when officers were dispatched to the area of Bitter Root Drive for a report of an unwanted male knocking on a window. Arriving on scene, Officer Witkowski was unable to locate the suspect but did find his vehicle in the parking lot.

As he was leaving the area, the caller called 911 again to report that the male had returned to the residence and was once again knocking on the window. Officer Witkowski returned to the scene and located 36-year-old Bryant L. Kuchel, of 13th Road in Plymouth, sitting in the driver's seat of his vehicle with an open container.

Following an investigation, Kuchel was taken into custody and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated as well as public intoxication. He was transported to the Marshall County Jail and booked.

Later Sunday morning, just after 4 a.m., Sergeant Taberski with the Plymouth Police Department was in the 500 block of Blue Ridge Trail when he observed 36-year-old Erick R. Rios drive past his patrol vehicle. Rios was known to have active warrants and a suspended driver's license.

Sergeant Taberski pulled in behind the vehicle as it pulled into a parking space in front of 649 Blue Ridge Trail and made contact with Rios as he exited the driver's seat. The officer immediately detected the odor of alcohol. Rios was detained and transported to the St. Joseph Hospital ER for a blood draw, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .325%.

Rios was transported to the Marshall County Jail and booked on a charge of operating while intoxicated with a prior offense, a Level 6 felony.

Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is a mere allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.