BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after police observed him driving erratically on State Road 37 late Saturday night.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Officer Taylor Daugherty of the Bedford Police Department patrolled the area around 11 p.m. on November 2 when he observed a 2015 blue Ford F150 truck repeatedly crossing the fog line while traveling northbound.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver, who was identified as 42-year-old Mark Nicholson. Daugherty noted that Nicholson exhibited signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, glassy eyes, and the odor of alcohol.
During questioning, Nicholson admitted to consuming “four to five beers” at a wedding he had just attended at the Lawrence County fairgrounds. The officer then conducted field sobriety tests, which Nicholson could not complete satisfactorily.
A preliminary breath test yielded a blood alcohol content of 0.194, well above Indiana’s legal limit of 0.08. Nicholson was arrested and transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital, where a certified blood draw was performed.
Nicholson was subsequently charged with OWI, OWI endangerment, and OWI per see, pending the results from the blood draw. He was then transported to the Lawrence County Jail. His vehicle was released to a friend who came to the scene.
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.
