MITCHELL – A French Lick man is facing multiple drug and intoxication charges after a dramatic Sunday afternoon crash involving a recreational vehicle and a subsequent struggle with emergency responders.
William K. Kimmel, 57, was taken into custody on Sunday, March 22, following a single-vehicle accident south of State Road 37.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Mitchell Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene at approximately 1:17 PM. Witnesses reported that an RV pulling a secondary vehicle had veered off the road and collided with a utility pole.
Upon arrival, Colonel Jacob Kuhlman and an Indiana DNR Conservation Officer found Kimmel unconscious inside the vehicle with a head injury. Witnesses told police that prior to the crash, Kimmel was seen at a nearby Subway restaurant “acting crazy” and waving his hands before accelerating at a high rate of speed, nearly striking another motorist.
The situation turned volatile as Kimmel regained consciousness. Emergency personnel reported that Kimmel became “combative,” shouting unintelligibly and thrashing around as they attempted to provide medical aid.
Officers from the Mitchell Police Department, the DNR, and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department were forced to physically restrain Kimmel on the ground. During the struggle, a package of “Extra Strength Mushroom Gummies” reportedly fell from Kimmel’s pocket.
A subsequent inventory of the RV by Mitchell Police Sergeant Jacobs uncovered a substantial amount of suspected illegal substances, including 56.54 grams of a substance consistent with psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms, five additional packages of “mushroom gummies.” Over 100 tablets of various shapes and colors marked with “THC” or “Arousal” branding, 37 capsules containing an unidentified pale powder, and multiple containers labeled as THC/CBD products.
Kimmel was transported to IU Health Bedford for medical clearance and consented to a blood draw. Following his release from the hospital, he was remanded to the Lawrence County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.
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.
