A driver in eastern Greene County was arrested for OVWI by a state trooper after he told the trooper he was headed home when he got pulled over. But the trooper said he was going in the wrong direction if he was going home and when asked for his registration, the driver handed the trooper a receipt from Walmart.

Travis Eugene Sanders, 55, Ellettsville, was arrested by Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin on Wednesday night, May 4.

At 7:17 PM when Trooper Garvin was headed north on Lawrence Hollow Road when a maroon Mazda pickup truck turned off of Bruce Drive onto Lawrence Hollow Road without signaling the turn so Trooper Garvin turned around and caught up to the pickup. When it got to State Road 445, the truck made a very wide turn as it turned west, traveling far into the eastbound lane before correcting. Trooper Garvin initiated a traffic stop which was conducted in a bank parking lot at State Roads 445 and 54.

Sanders was identified as the driver who said he was headed home to Bloomington. Trooper Garvin noted this did not make sense because Sanders was heading west and he should have been headed east to get to Bloomington. Trooper Garvin also noted that while talking to Sanders, he noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage and Sanders was slurring his words. When the trooper asks Sanders for his driver’s license and registration, Sanders allegedly handed him a receipt from Walmart. When asked if he had anything to drink, Sanders allegedly said he had a couple of shots.

Sanders driver’s license was found to be suspended since 2019 and he failed field sobriety tests on the scene. When Sanders submitted to a certified chemical test, the results showed he had an alcohol concentration of .20. The legal limit is .08.

Sanders was booked into the Greene County jail at 8:18 PM with bond set at $5000 surety with 10% cash allowed. As of late Friday night, he had not yet posted bond and was still in jail.

A criminal case was filed against Sanders earlier today. When he appears in Greene Superior Court for his initial hearing, he will be charged with:

Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,
Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Driving while suspended—a knowing violation with a prior conviction within 10 years, a Class A misdemeanor.