BEDFORD — A local man faces multiple felony charges, including possession of a narcotic drug and obstruction of justice, after being found unconscious behind the wheel of a running vehicle in a crowded retail parking lot.
The Bedford Police Department has requested an arrest warrant for Nathan Haynes, 34, of Bedford, following an incident originally initiated on April 1, 2026, at the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center located at 3300 16th Street.
According to a probable cause affidavit penned by Sgt. Nick Crulo, officers were dispatched to the east side of the home improvement store’s parking lot at approximately 5:30 p.m. following a request for a welfare check on an unresponsive male slumped inside a black Ford Focus.
Upon arrival, Sgt. Crulo approached the running vehicle and observed Haynes seemingly unconscious in the driver’s seat. Through the window, the sergeant noted a blue straw protruding directly from Haynes’ mouth. Additionally, two hypodermic syringes, one of which was visibly loaded with a fluid, were resting in plain sight on the front passenger seat.
Sgt. Crulo opened the driver’s side door, awakening Haynes. The officer immediately took physical control of Haynes’ arms and ordered him out of the vehicle. According to the affidavit, Haynes initially resisted the command but ultimately complied and was placed in handcuffs.
While being restrained, Haynes allegedly attempted to chew and swallow the blue plastic straw that had been in his mouth. Sgt. Crulo ordered him to spit it out, and Haynes complied. After being read his Miranda rights, Haynes denied ownership of the syringes, claiming they belonged to a passenger named Dylan Sipes, who he alleged had already fled the scene.
During questioning, Haynes reportedly admitted to police that he had recently smoked heroin and confirmed the blue straw was used to ingest the drug. Though the straw itself did not yield a positive field test, a subsequent probable cause search of the Ford Focus uncovered a significant cache of narcotics and drug paraphernalia, including:
- A folded paper bindle containing a powdery residue that field-tested positive for fentanyl.
- A loaded syringe containing a red liquid that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
- Two 100-count boxes of unused hypodermic needles.
- Multiple rubber tourniquets, fentanyl test strips, alcohol prep pads, metallic cooking caps, and both nasal and intramuscular Naloxone (Narcan).
A detective with the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section (DES) arrived at the scene to interview Haynes. Following that conversation, a tactical decision was made to temporarily release Haynes from the scene. The ISP DES detective requested that Bedford Police hold off on filing formal charges for 14 days to allow Haynes an opportunity to cooperate with ongoing narcotics investigations.
All evidence was subsequently transported to the Bedford Police Department, where it was photographed, packaged, and secured in the department’s evidence locker.
Because Haynes ultimately failed to maintain contact with the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section as agreed, Sgt. Crulo formally finalized the affidavit on April 14, 2026, requesting that a judge issue an official arrest warrant. Haynes faces preliminary charges of possession of a narcotic drug, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of a syringe, and public intoxication. He was detained on May 26th.
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.
