Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, July 25, 2018
(SPRINGVILLE) - 52-year-old Raul Ramirez of Springville was arrested on a warrant Monday in connection to a fatal accident that happened on May 18th in Bloomfield.
Ramirez is facing felony charges of two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in death, operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in injuries, auto theft and a misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license.
He was booked into Greene County Jail at 8:15 p.m. Monday evening. He is being held on a $43,000 bond.
The accident happened at 9:23 p.m.on North State Road 45.
Police say Ramirez, who was driving an 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora was traveling more than 60 miles per hour when he crossed the center line and crashed head-on with a 2000 Mercury Mystique driven by 37-year-old Jeremiah Murphy, of Springville.
Police say Ramirez did not attempt to apply his brakes leading up to the head-on fatal accident.
Murphy died at the scene from blunt force trauma.
His passengers 31-year-old Kayla Faubion and their 4-year-old daughter were transported to IU Bloomington Health Hospital. Faubion suffered multiple fractures and other injuries. The child, suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed, was flown to Riley Hospital for treatment.
According to Det. Sgt. Jim O'Malley of the Greene County Sheriff's Department, says Ramirez was intoxicated at the time of the crash and should not have been driving the vehicle which he did not own. Ramirez was hired to replace a thermostat in the vehicle and did not have permission to drive it. The owner reported the vehicle stolen after learning about the fatal accident.
The manager of an Ellettsville bar also contacted police saying Ramirez was a customer on the night of the crash and had consumed a couple of beers that night.
After the accident, police obtained a search warrant to search the vehicle which had been towed to Owensburg Auto. Inside the vehicle police found a red and white cooler containing an unopened can of Coca-Cola, an unopened bottle of Budweiser beer, an unopened bottle of Wild Turkey Whiskey and a bottle of Gatorade.
An empty Budweiser beer bottle was allegedly discovered on the floorboard behind the passenger seat. In the center console, as well as inside a lunch box in the trunk, were prescription medication bottles. The medication was a muscle relaxer, which carried a warning not to operate machinery or a vehicle. All medications were prescribed to Ramirez.
Ramirez admitted in a police interview he had consumed a couple of beers and a shot of whiskey prior to the accident while at a friend's house. He told police he took no medications that day because he was out of the medication.
He also confirmed he did not have permission to drive the car.
Ramirez was advised that the car was reported as stolen and confirmed he did not have permission to operate it.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.