HANGING ROCK — Hanging Rock’s mayor will be back in court on Thursday after pleading not guilty to an operating a vehicle while intoxicated charge.

Christopher Davidson, 43, was arrested at 1:40 a.m. Sunday on Mimosa Lane in the north end of Ironton after Ironton Police officers and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers checked what they termed a suspicious vehicle parked on the street.

“Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol and his speech appeared slurred,” according to a release from Sgt. Kevin Kobi of the patrol. “Davidson was placed under arrest for OVI.”

Davidson was booked into the Lawrence County Jail at 2:33 a.m. Sunday and subsequently released. He pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon in Ironton Municipal Court and hired Ironton attorney Mark McCown to represent him.

McCown said he was starting an investigation into the incident.

“A cursory review indicates there is a discrepancy with the charges filed and what he was told he was charged with,” McCown said.

At the time of the arrest, McCown said Davidson was told he was being charged with physical control since the vehicle was parked and the keys were not in the ignition.

“He was quite surprised when he was cited for OVI,” McCown said.

Davidson is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Thursday before Ironton Municipal Judge O. Clark Collins.