Howard County – A criminal investigation by Indiana State Police Detectives Mike Tarrh, Josh Rozzi, and Senior Trooper Josh Tarrh resulted in the arrest of Casie Johnson, 26, Burlington, IN. She was arrested when Howard County Sheriff’s deputies served her with a Howard Superior Court 4 arrest warrant. The warrant alleged a class B felony charge for operating a vehicle while causing death with a blood alcohol concentration level of .15. The warrant was served at the Howard County Jail where Johnson was being held for an alleged probation violation.
On May 2, 2014, at approximately 2:20 a.m., officers from the Indiana State Police, the Howard County Sheriff’s Department, and the Tipton County Sheriff’s Department responded to a single vehicle crash near 3492 West Howard County Road 500 South, which killed Travis Maier, 22 Frankfort, IN.
The preliminary investigation by Trooper Josh Tarrh revealed that a 1996 Honda Accord was traveling westbound on County Road 500 South near 3492 West. For an undetermined reason, the Honda traveled off the south side of the road and struck a utility pole. The Honda was occupied by Travis Maier, 22, Blayne Forrester, 22, both from Frankfort, IN, and Johnson.
Maier was ejected from the Honda and pronounced dead at the crash scene. Forrester and Johnson sustained non-life threatening injuries. Investigators suspected that alcohol consumption was a contributing factor in the crash.
During the earlier stages of the investigation, evidence eliminated Maier as the driver of the Honda. Officers were not immediately able to eliminate neither Johnson nor Forrester as driving the Honda at the time of the crash. As part of the investigation, Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician Sergeant Scott Gilbert collected the Honda’s airbags into evidence. The airbags were submitted to the Indiana State Police laboratory for DNA testing. After testing, investigators received a certificate of analysis indicating that the DNA profile from the driver’s side airbag matched Johnson’s DNA profile. The investigation also revealed that Johnson allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration level of .16 at the time of the crash. A driver in Indiana is considered intoxicated when their blood alcohol concentration level is .08 or higher.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Photo of Johnson is attached.
-30-
