(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte man could get prison time for taking his young son on a motorcycle ride and crashing after allegedly drinking too much alcohol.

 

Dakota Griffin, 27, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with neglect of a dependent and operating while intoxicated, both Level 6 felonies.

 

Just over two months ago, Griffin went for ride on a Harley Davidson motorcycle with his six year old son on the backseat despite the child’s mother begging him to not take the boy, according to La Porte County Police.

 

Police said Griffin was northbound on Fail Road when he failed to negotiate a curve. 

 

The motorcycle wound up on its side and slid about 50 feet on the pavement before stopping in the southbound lane near Division Road just outside the La Porte city limits.

 

Police said the helmet wearing boy with road rash on his arms made his way on foot to a nearby home and informed the resident about the crash.  Griffin, who was not wearing a helmet, was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with severe road rash to the right side of his body, police said.

 

He was later diagnosed with bruised lungs, fractures to his skull and collarbone along with bleeding on his brain, according to authorities.

 

Police said the boy did not sustain any other injuries.

 

Charges were not filed until July 3 because the hospital in response to a search warrant did not provide the results of a toxicology test and hundreds of pages of other medical records related to the crash until late last month, police said.

 

Griffin’s alleged blood alcohol level was .157 percent or nearly twice the .08 percent legal limit.

 

According to police, the test results also indicated possible use of fentanyl and marijuana, which is being further looked into for potential filing of enhanced or additional charges.

 

Griffin, who was taken into custody Monday, was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $755 cash bond.