A Bloomington man was arrested in Brown County Sept. 2 after an officer was almost hit head-on while responding to a report of a possible drunk driver on State Road 46 East.
Nashville Police Officer Evan Painter responded to the report of a red Jeep was all over the road, crossing the center line and going into the opposite driving lane. Painter reported seeing headlights at about midnight driving west and that the vehicle was driving 60 mph in a 50 mph zone. As the vehicle drove closer, it began to drift into Painter’s lane, and by time it was within 50 feet, it was on a “direct path” to hit Painter head-on, the police report says.
Painter maneuvered his patrol car to avoid a crash, and the vehicle passed him and then went into the correct lane of travel, the report said.
Painter stopped the vehicle in front of the Brown County State Park north gate entrance. Because of the near collision, Painter ordered the driver — Brandon Eggers, 34 — out of his car and placed him in handcuffs, the probable cause affidavit states.
Eggers initially denied drinking alcohol or using narcotics. He said he was sober and had fallen asleep at the wheel after being tired from a long drive. A search was done of Eggers’ vehicle. Heroin and marijuana were found in a bag, the report said.
Eggers then told the officer he injected heroin before leaving Ohio to return to Indiana. He said the needle was inside the center console, the report said.
He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood draw. On the way, Eggers apologized for everything and told Painter he was clean for two years before he started using narcotics again about two weeks earlier, the report said. He was taken to the Brown County jail.
On Sept. 4, Eggers was charged with possession of a narcotic drug, a Level 6 felony; unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony; operating a vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II substance or its metabolite in the body, a Class C misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor; and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.
