LAWRENCE COUNTY — A Bedford man is facing multiple criminal charges after a weekend crash led to a police investigation into distracted and impaired driving.
Gage Forrest, 28, of Bedford, has been charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and OWI endangerment following an incident on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
The investigation began at approximately 4:00 p.m. when Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Martin responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Peerless Road and Peerless Church Road.
Upon arrival, Deputy Martin discovered a black Dodge Charger approximately 50 to 75 feet off the roadway in a ditch. The vehicle had struck a tree and was found abandoned. While police were processing the scene, dispatchers received a report from a local towing company stating that a male caller had “urgently” requested the vehicle be recovered before law enforcement could arrive. An action warranted by the towing company for their own legal liability and protection.
While deputies headed toward the registered owner’s residence, Sergeant Robin Compton was flagged down on East Oolitic Road by a passenger in a white pickup truck. The individual, Forrest, immediately identified himself as the driver of the wrecked Charger.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Forrest admitted he was traveling from a local saloon where he had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages, including liquor shots. Forrest told officers he dropped his phone while attempting to respond to a text message and lost control of the vehicle while trying to retrieve it.
Sergeant Compton reported a “strong odor” of alcohol on Forrest’s person.
Forrest consented to a chemical test and was transported to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department. A certified breath test administered via an Intox EC/IR II machine revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.127%. In Indiana, the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle is 0.08%.
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.
