A South Bend man, last night, was arrested on the Indiana Toll Road for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) with minors in the vehicle, OWI Prior Conviction, Dealing Marijuana, and Operating without receiving a Driver’s License.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Alaa Hamed revealed at approximately 10:26 p.m,, yesterday, July 4th, 2017, evening, he was sitting stationary on the Indiana Toll Road in the cross over at the 2.5 mile marker (this is 2 ½ miles east of the Indiana/Illinois state line).
Hamed observed a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu east bound in the left lane at a high rate of speed.
Hamed was able to obtain a clock with his radar of 108 miles per-hour in a well posted 70 miles per-hour zone.
As Hamed was going after the Malibu with his emergency lights and siren on he watched the Malibu make an unsafe lane movement and nearly sideswipe another car.
After stopping the Malibu, Hamed noticed a female passenger in the front seat, and a male passenger and three children in the rear passenger seats.
The children ages were 15, 13 and 5 years old. The 5 year old was sitting in the lap of the male rear passenger (child’s father).
The driver, identified as Steven P. Smith (by his Indiana Identification Card) 37 of South Bend, IN, had an overwhelming odor of alcoholic beverage and slurred speech.
Further investigation revealed that Smith refused to submit to a chemical test and that he had approximately 15 grams of marijuana individually packaged on his person.
Smith was taken and incarcerated at lake County Jail in Crown Point and was charged with:
- Operating While Intoxicated with minor in car-Level 6 Felony
- Operating While Intoxicated Prior Conviction-Level 6 Felony
- Dealing Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating without receiving a license-Class C Misdemeanor
The car and occupants were turned over to the male passenger who was a valid driver and sober.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
