WILLIAMS — A late-night excursion through rising flood waters ended in multiple criminal charges for two individuals on Saturday after Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies engaged in a waterlogged pursuit near the State Road 450 trestle.
Gary M. Wells II, 27, of Orleans, and Kaley R. Corley, 24, of Bloomington, were taken into custody on March 14th, following a sequence of events that Officer Thomas Porter described as a significant danger to both the suspects and first responders.
The incident began when Officer Porter, patrolling the Williams area, was flagged down by a motorist in a white Chevrolet truck. The motorist reported that a vehicle had driven into deep flood waters beneath the railroad trestle at SR 450 and Stumphole Bridge Road.
Navigating the Milwaukee Trail to bypass the flooding, Officer Porter and Sheriff Greg Day discovered a silver BMW partially submerged with its windows down and headlights still illuminated.
Upon arrival, deputies spotted a female, later identified as Corley, standing near the vehicle. According to the probable cause affidavit, as police approached, both Corley and a male subject fled into the dark, flooded fields, ignoring repeated verbal commands to stop.
Officer Porter tracked the pair by following footprints on the pavement that led into the mud.
“I heard the sound of sloshing consistent with movement through water… I observed footprints in the mud… consistent with someone walking without shoes,” Officer Porter noted in his report.
After a brief search through the brush and 40-degree water, Wells emerged from the wood line soaked and covered in debris. He reportedly dropped to his knees and surrendered upon seeing law enforcement. Sheriff Day located Corley shortly after, shivering near a tree.
The investigation quickly turned into a “whodunit” regarding who was behind the wheel.
Wells maintained throughout the encounter that he was the passenger, claiming he had left his own truck at a Bedford bar to avoid drinking and driving. However, Sheriff Day reported that Corley’s story shifted several times.
In an attempt to elicit the truth, Sheriff Day told Corley that Wells had “manned up” and admitted to driving. Corley’s initial response was, “as he should have,” before she later changed her story to claim she had only driven earlier in the evening to buy a vape and some beer.
The charade collapsed when deputies informed Corley they were reviewing surveillance footage from Revere’s Gas Station, which showed her driving the BMW toward the flood zone just minutes before the 911 call.
Due to the freezing temperatures and the suspects’ level of intoxication, both were transported for medical clearance and processing. Corley reportedly refused field sobriety tests, prompting Judge Cline to issue a search warrant for a blood draw at IU Health Bedford.
Corley is facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction, leaving the scene of an accident, driving while her driver’s license was suspended, and public intoxication. Wells II is facing charges of public intoxication.
Both individuals were booked into the Lawrence County Jail. Authorities reminded the public that driving around “High Water” barricades is not only illegal but also puts a heavy strain on emergency resources during flood events.
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.
