MITCHELL — A Mitchell man was arrested early Monday morning, October 26, 2026, after allegedly crashing his pickup truck into a stop sign and utility poles, knocking out power to a local residence, and driving home from the scene, according to police records.
Nicholas E. Grissom, 34, of Mitchell, faces preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor, and failure to stop after an accident, a Class B misdemeanor.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Assistant Chief Jacob Kuhlman of the Mitchell Police Department, officers responded at approximately 3:13 a.m. to 709 West Hancock Avenue following a report of a hit-and-run accident. The caller reported that a vehicle had struck a stop sign and broken a utility pole, cutting off electricity to the home.
Upon arrival, officers discovered vehicle debris scattered across the roadway, including a front grille piece and a black plastic emblem reading “2500 HEAVY DUTY.” A neighbor flagged down police, reporting that they had seen a Dodge pickup truck traveling toward nearby Hel Mar Drive after hearing the commotion.
Assistant Chief Kuhlman located a white Ram 2500 pickup truck parked outside a residence in the 170 block of HelMar Drive. The vehicle exhibited heavy front-end damage, and its engine was still hot to the touch. Police noted that the missing “2500 HEAVY DUTY” emblem on the passenger side matched the piece recovered at the crash site.
When officers made contact with residents outside the home, Grissom identified himself as the driver, stating, “It was me.” When asked why he failed to stop and report the accident, Grissom reportedly replied, “I just wanted to get home first.”
Grissom explained to officers that he had been unable to sleep and had gone out looking for cigarettes, claiming a deer jumped in front of his vehicle, causing him to swerve, side-swipe the first pole, and strike a second.
Officers administered standardized field sobriety tests during which Grissom exhibited multiple clues of impairment. A portable breath test yielded a result of 0.086.
Grissom consented to a chemical test and was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for a blood draw. After being medically cleared, he was transported and booked into the Lawrence County Security Center without incident.
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.
