MITCHELL- Erin King, 31, of Mitchell, was arrested on Thursday, October 17, following an incident that resulted in multiple charges, including operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) and OWI endangerment.
The incident began around 9:22 p.m. when Officer Taylor Daugherty noticed a vehicle pulled off the roadway with its hazard lights flashing on State Road 37. Upon investigation, Officer Daugherty encountered a woman who informed the officer that a car had left the roadway and was in a ditch off Art Gallery Road.
Officer Daugherty then approached King, the driver of a black 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, who was on his cell phone with the driver’s door open. According to the affidavit, King appeared disoriented, had slurred speech, and emitted an odor of alcohol. When asked for his driver’s license, he could not locate it.
Due to King’s apparent impairment, Officer Daugherty did not administer field sobriety tests, citing safety concerns. King was described as unsteady on his feet and required assistance to walk to the patrol car. After reading him Miranda rights and the Indiana Implied Consent law, King refused to submit to a chemical test.
Further investigation revealed damage to King’s vehicle, which had reportedly struck a mailbox after swerving in and out of the median on State Road 37. A witness told police she had reported King’s erratic driving before the crash.
As additional officers arrived, a family member was arranged to retrieve King’s vehicle and his dog, which was found nearby.
King was transported to the Bedford Police Department, where a search warrant for a blood draw was obtained and executed at IU Health Bedford Hospital. Following medical clearance, King was taken to the Lawrence County Jail for processing.
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.
