BEDFORD — An 18-year-old Bedford man faces multiple misdemeanor charges after officers found him highly intoxicated and wandering near a local motel early Friday morning, according to court documents filed by the Bedford Police Department.
Gavan C. Horsting, 18, was arrested on July 17 and charged with public intoxication and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Michael Bell, the incident began around 4:31 a.m. while Bell was patrolling the area of the Super 8 Motel, located at 501 Bellback Road.
While pulling into the parking lot, Officer Bell spotted a young male, later identified as Horsting, walking away from the motel’s front entrance. Officers noted that Horsting pulled his hood up to cover part of his face and appeared to actively avoid looking at the fully marked police vehicle.
Horsting then crossed Bellback Road and attempted to walk down a gravel driveway leading toward a wooded area and an inaccessible lot. Recognizing that the path led nowhere, Officer Bell initiated contact with him on the driveway.
During their initial conversation, Officer Bell noted that Horsting’s speech was slow and slurred. Horsting claimed he was trying to reach his father’s house by taking alleyways, but when officers pointed out that there were no alleyways in the area, he admitted he was unfamiliar with the surroundings.
After Officer Haluda arrived to assist, officers detected the odor of alcohol coming from Horsting. When questioned, Horsting admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the night.
Because Horsting is 18 years old, under the legal drinking age of 21, he was placed in handcuffs. A preliminary breath test revealed a blood alcohol content of .218%, nearly triple the legal limit for drivers in Indiana.
Officers noted in the affidavit that Horsting openly made several comments regarding his level of intoxication and exhibited an unstable emotional state throughout the interaction.
Booking and Charges
Horsting was placed in the back of a patrol vehicle and transported to IU Health Bedford for medical clearance due to his high level of impairment. Following evaluation, he was cleared and transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing.
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.
