BEDFORD — A Mitchell woman with a pending felony drunk driving case is back in custody after being arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in the early morning hours of Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Olivia A. Williams, 23, was arrested by Bedford Police officers on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) with a prior conviction, OWI endangerment, and OWI per se.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer Sarah Haluda, the incident began around 1:45 a.m. when the officer spotted a black Chevrolet passenger car traveling southbound on State Road 37.
The officer observed the vehicle driving significantly below the speed limit—at just 33 mph in a 55 mph zone—while repeatedly driving over the passenger-side fog line. After a brief stop at a local gas station, the vehicle returned to State Road 37, traveling at 38 mph and continuing to drift over the fog line. Officer Haluda also noted a non-functioning headlight and initiated a traffic stop near Patrick Robbins Way.
Upon making contact with Williams, the officer detected the odor of alcohol and marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Officers noted that Williams appeared incoherent and made inconsistent statements, initially claiming a faulty gear shifter was responsible for her slow driving.
A routine background check revealed that Williams had specialized driving privileges from a previous OWI case out of Monroe County, alongside a pending felony OWI charge filed in July 2026 and a 2024 conviction.
When questioned outside the vehicle, Williams eventually admitted to consuming alcohol and agreed to a preliminary breath test (PBT). The test yielded a result of .142% blood alcohol concentration (BAC)—nearly double Indiana’s legal limit of .08%.
Upon learning the results, Williams became emotional and repeatedly interrupted officers as they attempted to read her rights. According to court documents, Williams offered to pay Officer Haluda and Sergeant Shelhart money in exchange for not taking her into custody.
Williams eventually agreed to a certified chemical breath test at the Bedford Police Department, where a test conducted at 2:35 a.m. officially confirmed a breath-alcohol content of .142 g/210L. She also failed field sobriety tests and admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day.
During a routine inventory search of her vehicle before Stone City Collision towed the vehicle, officers located several THC vape cartridges and a marijuana cigarette. The items were seized and packaged for destruction.
Williams was transported to the Lawrence County Jail and remanded into the custody of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
