Vigo County—This morning at 2:40 a.m., Indiana State Police Trooper Brian Thomas was assisting Trooper David Petrowski with an impaired driver vehicle stop in the eastbound lanes of US 40 near Main Street in Seelyville. During the stop, Thomas was parked partially in the driving lane to protect Petrowski and the violator, when he noticed an eastbound vehicle approaching his commission. The approaching vehicle appeared to not be slowing down or moving into the passing lane for Thomas’s red and blue lights. To add additional flashing lights in hopes of alerting the approaching driver, Thomas activated his brake lights numerous times. The vehicle suddenly came to a stop, partially in the driving lane and partially in the passing lane, approximately four feet from the rear of Trooper Thomas’s police car. Thomas stopped the blue 2009 Chevrolet Corvette and noticed the driver appeared to smell strongly of alcohol and displayed signs of apparent intoxication. The driver, Brandon N. Tom, age 21, of Fort Wayne, IN. was taken into custody and incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail for Operating While Intoxicated-Refusal. Tom was also cited for Failure to Yield to a Stationary Emergency Vehicle.
The original traffic stop by Trooper David Petrowski resulted in the arrest of alleged impaired driver, Cody Dale Bowers, age 24, of Terre Haute, IN. Bowers tested .21% BAC and was incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail.
No book-in photos attached.
Indiana law mandates that motorists use due caution and move over when approaching stationary emergency vehicles with warning lights activated. If conditions dictate that motorists cannot move over, drivers are to reduce their speed by at least 10 miles-per-hour below the posted limit.
Motorists are strongly encouraged to dial 911 and report suspected impaired drivers.
Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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