MITCHELL– A Bedford man is facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) after he allegedly swerved his truck to get people out of the truck bed, causing him to lose control. A subsequent toxicology report revealed methamphetamine in his system.
The incident occurred on June 4, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., when Indiana State Police Trooper Logan McDowell responded to a report of a possible crash near State Road 37 and Main Street in Mitchell. At the scene, the trooper found a vehicle facing the wrong direction in the southbound lanes.
The driver, identified as Jeffrey Johnson, 37, of Bedford, told police that he was driving south when he swerved to get people out of his truck bed, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
Trooper McDowell conducted a series of Standard Field Sobriety Tests on Johnson. According to the probable cause affidavit, Johnson showed signs of impairment on all tests. After the tests, Johnson consented to a blood draw at IU Health in Bedford. He also admitted to the trooper that he had used methamphetamine “3-4 days ago.” On August 28, 2025, toxicology reports confirmed the presence of both amphetamine and methamphetamine in his blood.
Johnson was not arrested at the scene. He was transported to the hospital for the blood draw and then dropped off at a residence in Mitchell.
His truck was towed from the scene by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
