BEDFORD – A Bedford man with a prior conviction for intoxicated driving was arrested Monday night following a police pursuit that started with a traffic violation and ended with a crash near 22nd Street and Denson Avenue.
The suspect, identified as Jaylob Kent Guthrie, of Bedford, faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including resisting law enforcement, reckless driving, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction.
Pursuit Begins Over Traffic Violations
At approximately 8:26 p.m. on September 29, Bedford Police Officer Michael Bell observed a motorcycle turn onto 16th Street and accelerate “at a high rate of speed.” The officer also noted the motorcycle appeared not to have a functioning taillight.
After the motorcycle accelerated away from the officer on John Williams Boulevard, Officer Bell activated his emergency lights to initiate a stop, but the driver continued to flee.
The pursuit involved both Bedford Police and Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies, with Captain Anthony Pope of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department taking the lead. The chase spanned several streets, during which Guthrie allegedly ran through multiple stop signs, struggled to make a curve, and cut through a construction site and the yard of the Davis Eye Institute, causing damage to the grass.
Captain Pope noted the pursuit was maintained only because the motorcycle’s speed remained low, 25 to 35 miles per hour, and did not enter a major highway, and the driver was wearing a helmet.
The pursuit ended when Guthrie lost control of the 2024 Honda motorcycle at the intersection of 22nd Street and Denson Avenue, sliding to the ground. He was taken into custody without further resistance.
Officers immediately detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Guthrie. When questioned, he confirmed he had been drinking and admitted there was alcohol in Powerade bottles located on the motorcycle.
Guthrie consented to a preliminary breath test (PBT), which yielded a positive result for alcohol with a 0.110 breath alcohol content. An open Powerade bottle, later confirmed to contain alcohol, was found in a cup holder within reach of the driver.
Guthrie was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital, where he consented to a blood draw. While at the hospital, he admitted to Officer Haluda that he fled from the police.
A review of Guthrie’s criminal history revealed a prior OWI conviction on July 10, 2019.
Guthrie was transported to the Lawrence County Jail and faces charges including resisting arrest by fleeing, reckless driving, OWI with a prior conviction, OWI endangerment, and criminal mischief for destroying the lawn at Davis Eye Institute.
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.
