BEDFORD — A Bedford resident faces multiple operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) charges after allegedly crashing into parked vehicles while looking at his phone late Friday night, according to court documents filed by the Bedford Police Department.
Tyson Scott Eugene Smoot, 29, of Bedford, was taken into custody on July 31, 2026, following a multi-vehicle traffic collision near 15th Street and R Street.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Sgt. Trevor Shelhart, officers responded to a dispatch around 10:05 p.m. regarding a traffic collision involving two to three vehicles with unknown injuries. Upon arrival, Sgt. Shelhart and Officer Bell located a damaged white 2018 Kia Optima driven by Smoot, alongside a damaged black Chevrolet Trax. Both vehicles were parked along 15th Street between R and S Streets.
Upon contact with Sgt. Shelhart, Smoot reportedly admitted immediately that he was looking at his phone, which caused the collision.
The affidavit notes that officers observed several signs of impairment, including slurred speech, dilated pupils, confusion while attempting to retrieve insurance documents, and the noticeable odor of an alcoholic beverage on this breathe.
When questioned, Smoot stated he was driving home from a friend’s house and admitted to consuming four beers over the course of an hour.
Bystanders in the area provided eyewitness accounts to Officer Bell. Witnesses reported seeing the white Kia traveling well above the posted 30 mph speed limit along 15th Street. One witness confirmed seeing the driver looking down at his phone moments before impact.
Officers conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) at the scene, instructed by Officer Daugherty, which Smoot failed.
A Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) administered at the scene yielded a result of 0.129% blood alcohol content (BAC).
After being read the Indiana Implied Consent warning and Miranda rights, Smoot consented to a certified chemical test. He was transported to the Bedford Police Department, where a certified breath test on an Intox EC/IR-II machine registered a BAC of 0.126%—well above Indiana’s legal limit of 0.08%.
Smoot was subsequently taken to IU Health Bedford for medical clearance before being remanded to the Lawrence County Jail for housing on charges of OWI, OWI endangerment, and OWI per se.
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.
