Warrant issued for Bloomfield driver injured in July crash near Solsberry

A warrant is out for the arrest of a Bloomfield man who was injured in a one-vehicle crash in July. He’s accused of driving with a BAC of .193 and has a record of past drunk driving convictions.  

Justin J. Pegg, 35, of Bloomfield, is actually wanted on two warrants. The one issued in connection with the crash was issued on Tuesday, August 7. As of late Thursday, he had not yet been arrested.

Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy David Elmore was dispatched around 6:52 p.m. on Sunday, July 15, to a crash with injuries at 1800 North State Road 45 in the Solsberry area.

Deputy Elmore reported a blue 1997 Honda Civic was in the front yard of a residence with severe damage to the front bumper, rear bumper, windshield, front fires, hood and both driver and passenger doors. Airbags had deployed. The steering wheel console area was heavily damaged and items in the car were scattered. There was an odor of alcoholic beverages and there were both unopened, open and empty beer cans in the vehicle. There were no marks on the road - it did not appear the brakes had been applied.

Pegg was the driver and he was being treated for injuries by personnel from the Greene County Ambulance Service before he was transported to IU Health Bloomington Hospital.

When Elmore talked to Pegg inside the ambulance and asked what happened, Pegg allegedly said he was northbound on the highway headed to Lowe’s in Bloomington when the front passenger tire went off the road. He said he couldn’t correct the vehicle and it kept going down into a ditch. He said the beer cans were from the night before.

A witness, who was sitting outside his home, said he heard the crash and ran to the side of his house then to the smoking car to help the driver get out of the vehicle. The witness said Pegg told him not to call the police but the witness said he had to call for medical help.

The man’s mailbox was damaged along with a red Ford Escape that was parked at the residence. The deputy said there were big ruts in the yard.

A subpoena was issued requesting Pegg’s medical records which were received around the first of August. Elmore reported the toxicology results showed Pegg had a blood alcohol level of .193.

After the medical report was received, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Keven McIntosh filed a criminal case against Pegg and the warrant was issued.

Pegg is facing charges of:

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Level 6 felony,
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,
• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction, a Level 6 felony,
• Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor,
• Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more with a prior conviction, a Level 6 felony, and
• Criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor.

In addition, the prosecution is requesting a sentence enhancement for being an habitual vehicular substance offender.

Court records show that Pegg was convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor, in Monroe County in 2003, and convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor, in Greene County in May of 2016.

Then in November of 2017, he was convicted in Greene County of operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more with a prior conviction, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to two years with Community Corrections, with one year and 185 days suspended. He was to serve the remainder on work release as long as he was eligible. On August 9, the Greene County Probation Department filed a petition to revoke the suspended sentence in this case and the second warrant was issued for his arrest.