Elijah Michael Hix, 33, of Brownsdale was charged with felony third-degree drugs – possess methamphetamine in a school zone, felony third-degree drugs – possess amphetamine in a school zone, gross misdemeanor DWI – under the influence of a controlled substance – and three counts of felony fifth-degree drug possession on Thursday in Mower County District Court.

According to the court complaint, an officer was dispatched at about 6:10 p.m. on Tuesday to the 1100 block of 28th Street Northeast on a call of a vehicle parked at Gerard Academy. The officer located a 2007 Dodge Caliber parked on the main entrance and not running. He observed a male, later identified as Hix, sleeping in the driver’s seat. A hypodermic syringe was on the passenger side floorboard.

The officer waited for backup before waking Hix, who began acting erratically and asking, “What’s going on?” Hix seemed confused about where he was, what he was doing, and why officers were speaking to him.

The officer believed Hix was under the influence of narcotics and had him step out of the car. He attempted to get Hix to perform a field sobriety test, but Hix did not comply, telling the officer, “Give me a drug test.” Hix denied the syringe in the vehicle was his, then refused to comply with another field sobriety test.

A search uncovered 1½ grams of methamphetamine, two buprenorphine tablets and four capsules containing amphetamine.

While at the Mower County Jail, Hix agreed to supply a blood sample in compliance with a search warrant. A sample was drawn at the hospital and Hix was taken back to jail, where he was overheard saying he had “spent all day shooting up in parking lots.”

A review of Hix’s criminal record shows prior convictions for domestic assault and violating an order for protection.

Hix will appear in court again on Dec. 2.