NASHVILLE — A Whiteland man is facing up to 12 years in prison after being charged in connection with a May hit-and-run crash in Brown County that left an Ohio woman with a catastrophic brain injury.
Brown County Prosecutor Theodore F. Adams formally filed a Level 4 felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or catastrophic injury against 28-year-old Austin Jacob Garbarek on Sept. 17 in Brown Circuit Court.
The Incident and Multi-Agency Investigation
Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 12:15 a.m. on May 31 to the 5000 block of State Road 135 North, roughly 10 miles southeast of Nashville, Indiana. First responders located an Ohio woman lying beside the road after she was struck while riding a scooter. The vehicle responsible for the collision had fled the area before police arrived.
The victim was transported to a regional trauma center. According to court documents, she suffered a traumatic brain injury, severe intracranial bleeding, and multiple long-term debilitating physical injuries.
Following a multi-agency investigation, detectives gathered vehicle debris left behind at the scene, identifying pieces belonging to a 2013 Buick Regal. Forensic analysis and crash site reconstructions further revealed that the driver made no attempt to brake or slow down before or after striking the victim.
Allegations of Impairment
According to probable cause affidavits filed in court, investigators determined Garbarek was returning home from a drag racing event at the time of the collision.
Witnesses who attended the event told law enforcement officers that they observed Garbarek consume approximately 10 shots of Fireball cinnamon whiskey and seven beers throughout the day before getting behind the wheel.
Court Proceedings
Following initial tracking efforts by local authorities, Garbarek was apprehended and booked into the Brown County Jail.
An initial hearing in Garbarek’s case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 6 in Brown Circuit Court. Under Indiana state law, a Level 4 felony conviction carries an advisory sentence ranging from two to 12 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. As with all criminal proceedings, the charge is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
