Early New Year’s Eve partying lands Paoli woman behind bars

BEDFORD – A Paoli woman was detained after Bedford Police officers responded to a property damage accident at John Williams Boulevard and R Street on New Year’s Eve.

The accident was reported at 1:32 p.m.

Alyssia Fields

According to Sgt. Faheem Bade, Alyssia Fields, 25, of Paoli, was driving a 2019 Ford Fiesta, and he could smell the odor of marijuana coming from her vehicle. She told police she was traveling north on R Street and was attempting to turn west on John Williams Boulevard but didn’t see the other vehicle.

The other driver, Michaella Scherschel, told police she was traveling east on John Williams Boulevard in a 2005 Toyota Corolla when the Ford pulled out of R Street in front of her vehicle and could not avoid the collision.

Fields stated the crash was “absolutely her fault.”

Sgt. Bade asked Fields if she was under the influence, and she initially stated she had smoked a joint at a friend’s house about an hour earlier; however, after further questioning, Fields changed her statement and stated she had actually smoked the joint in her car about an hour earlier.

In Field’s vehicle, police found a grinder containing marijuana. Inside Papa John’s Pizza bags, police found multiple smoking devices containing marijuana and a container of marijuana.

She was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for a blood draw.

Fields was detained on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, endangerment, operating a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.