Vigo County—On Saturday evening at 8:30, Indiana State Police and New Goshen Fire/Rescue units were dispatched to a one-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of State Road 63 near Sanford Road.
Preliminary investigation by Troopers Brian Thomas and Chuck Murphy revealed a 2005 Ford F-250 was southbound on SR 63 approaching Sanford Road. The driver, 33-year-old Michael Burdick of Clinton, IN., veered to the right and struck a guardrail on the west side of the road. The Ford pickup then rolled over the guardrail and traveled approximately 20 feet down an embankment. Further investigation revealed Burdick appeared to smell strongly of alcohol and display classic signs of intoxication. Numerous open alcoholic containers were located inside the pickup. Burdick failed standard field sobriety tests at the scene. As the troopers attempted to place Burdick under arrest, Burdick became belligerent and physical causing the troopers to subdue him. Burdick later tested .188% and was incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail. Trooper Brian Thomas preliminarily charged Burdick with Operating While Intoxicated (felony, prior conviction); Operating While Intoxicated with BAC greater than .15% (misdemeanor); and Resisting Law Enforcement (misdemeanor). Trooper Chuck Murphy investigated the crash. No injuries were reported and nearly 150 feet of guardrail was destroyed.
At 3:00 this morning, Indiana State Police Trooper Jonathan Cumbie responded to a report of a possible one-vehicle crash on 1st Street near Ohio Street. When Cumbie arrived, he found a 2000 Chevrolet pickup facing northbound in the southbound lanes and stranded on a concrete median strip next to the railroad tracks. While investigating the situation, the driver, Brian Vaughn, age 32, of Terre Haute, IN., appeared to smell of alcohol and display signs of intoxication. Vaughn appeared to fail standard roadside field sobriety tests and later refused to submit to a chemical test for intoxication. Trooper Cumbie incarcerated Vaughn in the Vigo County Jail and preliminarily charged him with Operating While Intoxicated (Refusal) and cited Vaughn for driving wrong way in a one way and improper turn at an intersection. Assisting were ISP Trooper Brian Thomas, Terre Haute Police Department and Indiana State University Police Department.
Indiana State Police encourage motorists to report suspected dangerous and/or impaired driving by dialing 911.
The attached pictures are of Brian Vaughn and Vaughn’s pickup mishap. No pictures of Burdick or crash available.
Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Sergeant Joe Watts
