BEDFORD – A Bedford man is facing multiple charges after fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident and driving under the influence. Scotty L. Lane, 56, was arrested following a traffic incident that left one person injured.
At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Friday, March 7, Bedford Police officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident at the 19th Street and H Street intersection, where the driver of a light-colored SUV had fled the scene. Officer Nicholas Crulo quickly located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s car, which was heavily damaged and parked in the 1000 block of G Street.
Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Crulo identified Lane as the driver and the car’s sole occupant. Lane admitted to calling 911 and said, “I f***** up,” when questioned about the incident. Officer Crulo noticed Lane was unsteady on his feet, had glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol. Despite his slowed speech and inability to recall the crash details, Lane admitted that he didn’t see the other vehicle.
After advising Lane of his rights, Officer Crulo questioned him further about leaving the scene. Lane stated that he didn’t intend to leave the accident site but claimed the vehicle continued to move on its own. Lane also attempted to show where he had called 911 but could not provide evidence.
Lane acknowledged having consumed alcohol that day and agreed to undergo a series of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. Lane lost his balance and, before attempting the test, asked, “Just arrest me,” signaling his recognition of the situation.
Lane consented to a preliminary breath test, which resulted in a blood alcohol concentration of 0.276, well over the legal limit. He was then taken into custody and transported to the Bedford Police Department before being taken to IU Health Bedford for a blood draw at 4:23 p.m. Lane was medically cleared and transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
In addition to the alcohol, Lane’s vehicle was inventoried by Officer Bell, who found two Four Loko alcoholic beverages and various prescription medications belonging to Lane.
The accident involved Lane’s vehicle colliding with another car that Carrie Miller was driving. Miller’s vehicle was struck on the driver’s side, and due to the extent of the damage, emergency responders extracted her from her vehicle. While Miller complained of shoulder pain, she declined further treatment. Lane’s vehicle airbags deployed upon impact, while the airbags in Miller’s car did not.
As a result of the crash and subsequent investigation, Lane was arrested and charged with operating while intoxicated, OWI endangerment, OWI with a blood-alcohol content greater then 0.15 percent and leaving the scene of an accident. He was placed in the custody of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
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.
