BEDFORD – Authorities are seeking a Mitchell man after he allegedly fled the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Washington Avenue last month.
Austin D. Sullivan, 22, is facing preliminary charges of leaving the scene of a property damage accident and operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a driver’s license.
According to an affidavit for probable cause filed by Sgt. Toby Gerkin of the Bedford Police Department reported that officers responded to a vehicle accident with a driver who had fled on foot in the 2000 block of Washington Avenue on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Upon arrival, Sgt. Gerkin found a heavily damaged gray Honda Odyssey resting against a damaged utility pole. A Chevrolet Cruze and a Chevrolet Malibu were also in the roadway with damage. The owners of the parked and unoccupied Cruze and Malibu told officers that they had heard a loud crash and then saw a male wearing a dark shirt and athletic shorts running eastbound between houses, away from the scene.
Bedford Police Department officers, including Major Bridges and Officer Duprey, searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. Both the Honda Odyssey and the Chevrolet Cruze were towed from the scene.
Major Bridges later contacted the registered owner of the Honda Odyssey. She informed Sgt. Gerkin that she had permitted Austin Sullivan to drive her vehicle, and that he was the last person she had seen driving it. She stated that Sullivan had dropped her off around 7:50 p.m. the previous night, and she had not spoken with him since. She was unaware of Sullivan’s whereabouts but confirmed he was the only person with permission to drive her vehicle.
A search warrant was granted for the Honda Odyssey, and evidence was collected from the vehicle, including two backpacks containing jewelry and other items that appeared to be associated with unrelated theft investigations by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department. These items were turned over to Major Blackburn.
Investigators also checked nearby homes for surveillance footage of the accident but found none with evidentiary value.
On Thursday, May 22, 2025, Austin Sullivan was detained by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department in connection with an unrelated incident. Detective Thompkins of the Bedford Police Department interviewed Sullivan at the Sheriff’s Office. During the audio-recorded interview, Sullivan admitted to driving the Honda Odyssey when it crashed, stating, “I did it.” He claimed he remembered driving to pick up a female, and then the next thing he remembered was running. Sullivan said he ran because he got scared and “just wasn’t thinking straight.” He also claimed he “blacked out” and did not remember what caused the wreck, stating he “didn’t even see the vehicles.”
Detective Thompkins noted that Sullivan’s initial account differed significantly from that of the vehicle’s owner. Sullivan initially claimed the woman had someone pick up the vehicle from his house and told him to leave the keys under the seat. However, when confronted with the discrepancy and informed that DNA from the deployed airbag would identify the driver, Sullivan admitted to being the driver.
Further investigation revealed that Austin Sullivan had never received a driver’s license. The Bedford Police Department forwarded the report to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, and an arrest warrant was issued for Sullivan. He was detained on that warrant on Monday, June 9.
It was also noted that Sullivan is currently out on bond for other pending criminal charges.
A Probable Cause Affidavit outlines the initial findings and allegations that led to an arrest. Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
