BEDFORD — A Bedford woman was arrested Tuesday evening after a reported domestic disturbance led Indiana State Police to a highly intoxicated individual wandering a cemetery without shoes.
Chelsea S. Whaley, 33, faces a charge of public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor, following a series of events that eventually required medical clearance due to her extreme level of impairment.
At approximately 7:56 p.m. on February 17, Trooper Caroline Roberts responded to a domestic dispute in progress on Fire Barn Lane. Upon arrival, she was flagged down by an adult male and a juvenile female, both visibly shaken.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the male reported Chelsea Whaley, had returned home severely intoxicated. He stated she became physically aggressive, forcing him to restrain her to protect himself and the four children present in the home.
As officers arrived, Whaley was spotted across the street in a cemetery. Trooper Roberts noted that Chelsea’s clothing was soiled with mud and water, she was barefoot, and she exhibited “very unstable balance and poor coordination.”
Inside the home, police checked on the four children, ages 8 to 16, and confirmed they were safe and unharmed.
The investigation revealed that Whaley had allegedly been drinking all day in the Hoosier National Forest with her brother and two other associates. The adult male told police that when the group returned, Whaley attempted to strike people and fell near a pond on the property.
An altercation broke out in a bedroom where Whaley’s brother reportedly pulled her hair and struck her, prompting the adult male to intervene physically to stop the assault.
The other adults fled the scene when the juvenile female called 911.
Whaley admitted to officers that she had been drinking heavily and “didn’t really remember” if she had been physical with others.
Whaley was taken into custody after she was observed wandering into public roadways, creating a risk to her own safety. At the Lawrence County Jail, a portable breath test recorded her blood alcohol content (BAC) at .210%, more than two and a half times the legal driving limit.
Due to jail protocols requiring medical clearance for anyone with a BAC over 0.200%, she was transported to IU Health Bedford. During the hospital visit, she allegedly became hostile and verbally disruptive, using profane language toward Trooper Roberts, hospital security, and medical staff. Whaley continued her disruptive behavior throughout the booking process at the Jail.
Because four children were in the home during the intoxicated outburst and physical domestic conflict, the Department of Child Services (DCS) was notified. DCS has opened a formal investigation into the matter.
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.
