BEDFORD – A Bedford man was taken into custody early Sunday morning, October 6, after being stopped by police for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Cody E. George, 27, faces charges including operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI), OWI endangerment, and OWI per se.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Joshua Turner of the Bedford Police Department, the incident began around 3:55 a.m. when Officer Turner patrolled the 15th and L Streets area. He observed George’s black Toyota Camry stop at a red light before proceeding through the intersection while the light remained red. Officer Turner activated his emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop at L Street and 18th Street.
Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Turner reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol emanating from inside. George, the driver, struggled to provide his driver’s license and registration, exhibiting signs of impaired manual dexterity. While George claimed he had consumed no alcohol, both passengers in the vehicle admitted to drinking.
Officer Turner noted that George had glassy eyes and slurred speech. When asked to exit the vehicle, George appeared unsteady on his feet. He declined to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests but admitted to having consumed “a couple of beers.” A preliminary breath test indicated a blood alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.187, well above the legal limit.
Following the arrest, George was read his Indiana Implied Consent rights but refused to submit to a chemical test at the station. Officer Turner sought a blood draw search warrant, which Judge John Plummer III granted at 4:56 a.m. George was then transported to IU Health Bedford, where a nurse drew two vials of blood at 5:33 a.m. He was later transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
