Driver arrested for OVWI after Friday night crash on I-69

No injuries were reported as a result of a crash last Friday night on I-69 but one driver was allegedly too intoxicated to stand up and was arrested.

Russell Lewis

Russell Wayne Lewis, 58, Springville, was arrested by Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin following a crash that occurred last Friday night, January 31. Lewis was booked into the Greene County Jail around 1:15 a.m. Saturday, February 1.

The crash happened around 7 p.m. Friday, January 31. Trooper Garvin was northbound on the entrance ramp to I-69 from State Road 445 in eastern Greene County when he saw several vehicles ahead with their emergency flashers on. As he entered onto the interstate northbound, he saw someone trying to flag down vehicles with a light. Then he saw a green Chevrolet pickup sitting perpendicular in the roadway with its rear end facing east up against the guardrail. The front end, sitting halfway into the right lane of travel, had damage. He later determined a semi-truck that was northbound on I-69 in the right lane did not see the truck and hit it. The semi driver was not injured.

Russell Lewis was the driver of the pickup truck and was still sitting in the driver’s seat. When asked if he was injured, Lewis said he wasn’t, but the trooper noticed a very strong odor of alcohol and could see empty and full alcoholic beverage containers in plain view. When asked what happened to cause the crash, Lewis allegedly said he had just lost control. When asked how much alcohol he had consumed, Lewis allegedly said, “Too much.”

Trooper Garvin also talked to another driver who had witnessed the crash.

Trooper Garvin reported Lewis exhibited numerous signs of intoxication. The trooper wrote in a probable cause affidavit that Lewis could not stand on his own and the trooper had to hold him up to keep him from falling over. The trooper determined Lewis was too intoxicated to perform any field sobriety tests safely.

Lewis was transported to Monroe Hospital in Bloomington for a blood draw and a medical clearance before being transported to the Greene County Jail where his bond was set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. Today, on Wednesday, February 5, he posted $400 and was released.

Lewis is facing a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor. Results from the blood draw are pending.

He’s due in court for an initial hearing on February 10.

Others who responded to assist on the scene included ISP Trooper Taylor Lowry, Trooper Richard Klun, and the Center Fire Department.