BEDFORD — A Mitchell man was arrested Monday night outside a Bedford movie theater after police found him asleep behind the wheel of his running vehicle, according to court documents.
Bedford Police Officer Sarah Haluda filed a probable cause affidavit stating that officers were dispatched at approximately 10:25 p.m. on November 2, 2026, to the Premiere Movie Theatre following a report of a male driver slumped over the steering wheel.
Upon arrival, Officer Haluda located a male—later identified as 51-year-old Warner Beauregard of Mitchell—asleep in the driver’s seat of a Honda sedan.
According to the affidavit, Beauregard woke up when the officer shone a flashlight in his face but appeared disheveled, confused, and unsteady on his feet. A caller reported to police that she had noticed the vehicle running with its lights on around 8:30 p.m., and called authorities when she noticed two hours later that the car was still running with a man slumped inside.
When asked for his identification, Beauregard moved a bag containing several cans of beer from the front passenger seat to the rear seat while attempting to look for his driver’s license, which officers pointed out in the door panel.
Officers noted that Beauregard admitted to drinking and stated he was a habitual traffic violator. He told police he had left his home following an argument with no set destination—which he acknowledged was a violation of his driving privileges—and claimed he only drank after parking at the theater. However, officers noted finding only full, sealed alcohol containers inside the vehicle.
After Beauregard was unable to arrange for a ride home, officers placed him under arrest. A preliminary breath test administered at the scene yielded a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) result of 0.125.
Beauregard was transported and booked into the Lawrence County Jail on a preliminary charge of public intoxication. His vehicle was impounded by Jackson’s Heavy Haul.
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.
