BEDFORD — A 61-year-old Bedford man was arrested late Friday night after allegedly driving at high speeds while under the influence of methamphetamine, according to court documents filed by the Bedford Police Department.
John R. Dennis was taken into custody on July 24, 2026, and lodged in the Lawrence County Jail. He faces preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI), OWI endangerment, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Sarah Haluda, the incident began at approximately 11:20 p.m. near 16th Street and State Road 37. Officer Haluda observed a blue Ford pickup truck make a wide turn onto southbound SR 37 before rapidly accelerating.
In-car radar registered the vehicle traveling at 74 mph in a posted 55 mph zone, eventually reaching 79 mph. While moving south, the truck crossed over the fog line and center line, weaving out of its lane on multiple occasions.
The vehicle then turned onto 29th Street, rapidly accelerating to 43 mph in a 30 mph zone, before turning onto Ted Jones Drive. Officer Haluda activated her emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop after the vehicle pulled in crookedly across two parking spaces.
Upon making contact, Officer Haluda noted that Dennis was twitching uncontrollably. When questioned about contraband in the vehicle, Dennis hesitated and initially claimed he had a marijuana vape. Upon further questioning about whether a police K-9 would alert to his truck, Dennis admitted that methamphetamine was inside and acknowledged that he was currently high.
After exiting the vehicle, a THC vape was recovered from Dennis’ pocket. Following a reading of his Miranda warnings, Dennis admitted he had used methamphetamine around 7:00 p.m. while at work. He informed officers they would find a pipe and additional contraband in a brown pouch inside the center console.
A search of the truck conducted by Officer Bell yielded a brown pouch containing a glass smoking pipe, a cut straw, and a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Dennis agreed to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests but displayed severe impairment across all evaluations.
Dennis consented to a certified chemical test under Indiana Implied Consent. He was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital, where a registered nurse drew two vials of whole blood at 12:42 a.m. for submission to the Indiana Department of Toxicology.
Following the blood draw, Dennis was transported to the Lawrence County Jail for booking. At his request, his vehicle was secured and left in the apartment complex parking lot.
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.
