BEDFORD – On Thursday, August 15, at approximately 3:55 a.m. Bedford Police Officer Taylor Daugherty responded to a car/deer accident report on Express Lane near the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
When she arrived, she found 25-year-old Nicholas Slavis of Lowell leaning against his 2015 gray Ford Fusion, smoking a cigarette. Slavis said he had hit a deer.
Police say Slavis had shattered glass on him, and his clothing was soiled.
He was asked if he needed medical treatment, which he denied.
Police noted severe damage to the front of the vehicle and the front windshield, but there was no evidence that Slavis had hit a deer.
Slavis said he was traveling south on State Road 37 and hit the deer about a mile before getting to the hotel.
Police said Slavis smelled of alcohol. He then admitted to being in Bloomington and was not returning to Night Moves. He admitted to drinking three or maybe four beers. He submitted to a preliminary breath test. He had a blood alcohol level content of 0.144 percent.
In the meantime, Officer Nick Crulo reported he had found two damaged road signs on State Road 54 and State Road 37, along with debris from a vehicle.
Slavis was detained, and a search warrant was issued for a blood draw. He was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for a blood draw and to be medically cleared.
Slavis was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, OWI endangerment, false informing, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and transported to jail.
