BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested on Sunday, January 21, after police found him passed out in his vehicle in the median of State Road 37.
Bedford Police officers responded to a report of a possible intoxicated driver after an alert motorist spotted the possible intoxicated driver in the area of State Road 37 and 5th Street.
The caller reported a male was passed out and slumped over the steering wheel of his Ram pickup truck in the median of State Road 37. The female caller reported she had witnessed the man back into the median at the 5th Street stop light.
When police arrived at 7:40 p.m., they found 33-year-old Mathew Crawford leaning back in the driver’s seat with his shoes off and his feet up around the steering wheel.
An officer knocked on the window, and Crawford leaned forward and knocked back. He then opened the door, and the officers noticed an open Bud Light can in the cup holder. Crawford smelled of alcohol.
Crawford was transported to the Bedford Police Department due to the frigid temperatures. On the way to the police department, Crawford sang songs and recited rhymes.
Crawford failed several field sobriety tests. He submitted to a portable breathalyzer and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.171 percent. He was then transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for a blood draw.
Crawford admitted to drinking four 25-ounce Bud Lights.
Crawford was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and OWI endangerment and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. Bland’s Wrecker Service towed Crawford’s vehicle.
