LAWRENCE CO. — A Bedford man was arrested early Sunday morning following a single-vehicle crash that left his truck overturned and led to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The driver, Kaleb M. Sowders, 21, reportedly failed sobriety testing and offered an unusual explanation for the wreck.
The incident occurred on October 12, around 1:00 a.m., when Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Deputies C. Pruett, K. Long, and M. Martin responded to a crash near the intersection of Patton Hill Road and Vista Drive.
Dispatch advised the responding deputies that a third-party caller reported a single-vehicle crash involving a 2001 tan Chevy S-10 that landed on its side across the roadway. The caller also noted that the driver, later identified as Kaleb Sowders, seemed intoxicated and was attempting to discourage the witness from calling 911.
Upon arrival, Deputy Pruett located Sowders sitting on a limestone rock near the overturned vehicle. When the Deputy began speaking with Sowders, he immediately detected the odor of alcohol, noting the driver’s eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred.
Sowders quickly admitted to drinking and losing control of his truck while driving up Patton Hill Road.
When Deputy Pruett attempted to administer a field sobriety test, Sowders was reportedly uncooperative. The affidavit states that after being asked to look at the officer’s eyes for a check, Sowders failed to put his phone down. When the deputy took the phone, Sowders grabbed for it, prompting the deputy to attempt to stand him up.
Sowders then “went to his knees and lay down.” Deputies Long and Pruett had to roll Sowders onto his stomach and order him to place his hands behind his back before putting him in handcuffs.
While sitting him back on the rock, Sowders was advised the deputy would check his eyes, to which Sowders allegedly replied that the deputy “did not need to check his eyes because he was drunk.” Sowders continued to refuse instructions and repeatedly interrupted Deputy Pruett’s attempt to read the Miranda Rights.
Deputy Martin eventually read Sowders his Miranda Rights and the Implied Consent advisement while he was secured in the patrol vehicle. Sowders stated that he understood his rights and agreed to a blood draw.
Sowders initially claimed to have consumed three shots around 11:30 p.m. at a friend’s house. However, Deputy Martin noted that Sowders had previously told EMS staff he had been at a local bar, Shorty’s. When confronted, Sowders stated he “thought” he was at a friend’s house.
When asked what caused him to crash, the affidavit notes Sowders stated that a “Chupacabra ran out in front of him.”
Sowders was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for medical clearance and a blood draw, which is used to confirm the blood alcohol content. He was subsequently transported to the Lawrence County Jail and booked on a felony charge of operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent or greater.
The vehicle was towed from the scene.
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.
