Docs: Mustang driver causes fatal crash after consuming alcohol before driving

HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. -- A Wilkinson man has been arrested after a reported fatal crash in Hancock County on Saturday evening involving a vehicle that did not belong to him.




According to court documents recently filed in Hancock County, 32-year-old Alexander Ray was charged with:

• Two counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, each a Level 4 felony





• One count of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony

The crash occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday on State Road 234 between County Road 600 East and County Road 675 East, according to previous reports. This caused State Road 234 to be closed in both directions at that time.




According to the court documents, the crash was between a white car and a Mustang. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, a woman was found in the white car who was "clearly deceased."








Witnesses on the scene told law enforcement that the Mustang was traveling on SR 234 "at a very high rate of speed" when it struck the white car. The court documents stated that the driver of the Mustang was identified as Ray.




As Ray was transported to a local hospital for a blood draw, the documents said that Ray was reportedly "visibly upset" after the crash, telling officers that "there won't be any weed or anything like that (in the vehicle), but I drink, I drink. But I'm not drunk when I drive, I don't do that."




The documents said that Ray took a portable breath test (PBT) that tested positive for alcohol. The number was not provided in the court documents. In an additional interview with Ray, he initially stated that he had two beers earlier that day, but admitted to having two other alcoholic drinks before getting into the Mustang.




Officials claimed that Ray was driving a Mustang that belonged to another person. The documents stated that Ray claimed he had permission to drive the car, which he was storing for the owner at his car detailing business.








Ray reportedly claimed he did not pass the PBT because "he was dehydrated" and was "stressed out." When asked what he remembers about the crash, the documents claim that he had set the cruise control on the road and said he was going "just 60."




When asked how drunk he was on a scale from 1-10, Ray reportedly told law enforcement that he was at a 1, and had a "high tolerance for alcohol," even though he did not pass the PBT.




The owner of the car spoke with law enforcement regarding the incident, ultimately disputing Ray's claim that he has permission to drive the Mustang. The owner told officials that he wished to pursue charges against Ray for "driving his Mustang without consent."





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/docs-mustang-driver-causes-fatal-crash-after-consuming-alcohol-before-driving/