BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested on Saturday, May 17, on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and OWI endangerment, following a traffic stop.
According to a Probable Cause Affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer Sarah Haluda, the incident occurred around 3:10 p.m. at the intersection of 15th Street and J Street. Officer Haluda observed a black Ford pickup truck, driven by 44-year-old Ty A. Sligar, stopped at a red light. The affidavit states that when the light turned green, Sligar did not move, appearing to slump forward in the driver’s seat before suddenly sitting upright and then slumping forward again before proceeding through the now-yellow light.
Officer Haluda initiated a traffic stop after observing this erratic behavior. Sligar allegedly stopped in the middle of the roadway. When questioned, Sligar denied nodding off or using any substances, claiming he was just tired from work. He agreed to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs). Still, he reportedly performed poorly on them, exhibiting clues of impairment.
Sligar initially denied having anything illegal in his vehicle but later admitted to past drug use, including marijuana. He refused a SoToxa test but then allegedly stated that he had recently used methamphetamine and was a routine user, taking “a couple hits every morning.” After being advised of Indiana’s Implied Consent law, he consented to a certified chemical test and a SoToxa test.
During a consensual search of his person, Officer Haluda located a torch lighter, a corner baggie containing crystal methamphetamine, and a glass smoking device concealed in his pants. Sligar allegedly admitted to using meth and marijuana around 11:00 a.m. that day and stated he obtained the methamphetamine from a coworker.
A SoToxa oral fluids test returned positive results for cannabis, methamphetamine, and amphetamines. A search of Sligar’s truck yielded a blue oval pill identified as Alprazolam, for which Sligar admitted he did not have a prescription for.
At his request, Sligar’s truck was secured in the parking lot. His keys and wallet were transported to his residence. Sligar was taken to IU Health Bedford for a blood draw and then transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
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.
