Tunnelton Woman Facing Multiple Charges After Erratic Driving, Reversing Near Patrol Car on State Road 37

Reported: June 16, 2026

A Tunnelton woman is facing a string of criminal allegations—including operating while intoxicated and resisting law enforcement—following a high-risk traffic stop that unfolded on State Road 37.

Michele Spotts, 57, was taken into custody by the Bedford Police Department following an erratic driving complaint that quickly escalated across multiple city intersections.

The Near-Miss and Reverse at the Light

According to the official probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer Sarah Haluda, the incident began late on June 13, 2026, when local dispatch issued a "Be On the Lookout" (BOL) alert for a Buick SUV driving erratically northbound on State Road 37 from the Dixie Highway area.

Officer Haluda, who was handling an unrelated call at the intersection of US 37 North and John Williams Boulevard, spotted the target vehicle. The affidavit notes the Buick immediately created an explicit hazard:

• The SUV abruptly attempted to merge into the left lane, nearly colliding with two other vehicles.
• The driver behind the Buick was forced to slam on their brakes, causing an audible tire squeal to avoid a crash.

Officer Haluda immediately initiated a pursuit with overhead emergency lights and sirens activated. Spotts shifted into the right lane but allegedly refused to acknowledge the police vehicle behind her. When Spotts came to a halt at a red light at the intersection of State Road 37 and 5th Street, she suddenly put her Buick SUV into reverse. Officer Haluda had to quickly throw her patrol vehicle into reverse to avoid an immediate collision. Spotts then drove through the red light and traveled north for another mile at approximately 45 miles per hour before finally squeezing her vehicle tightly against a guardrail on the side of the highway.

Extreme Impairment and a .227% BrAC

When the vehicle finally came to a rest, Spotts allegedly ignored multiple law enforcement commands to exit the SUV. Officers approached the driver's side and physically removed her from the vehicle, noting an immediate and overwhelming odor of alcohol.

The investigation on the scene revealed severe levels of intoxication:

• Severe Instability: Spotts was so unsteady on her feet that officers physically had to hold her up against her vehicle so she wouldn't fall over.
• Open Container: Inside the SUV, officers located an open tumbler cup filled with ice and liquid, which yielded a positive result for alcohol on a preliminary breath test, alongside an empty alcohol bottle.
• Admission of Guilt: While being placed in handcuffs, Spotts openly admitted to officers that she was heavily intoxicated, stating she was "drunk" from a substantial amount of alcohol, though she could not remember exactly how much she had consumed.

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were completely bypassed due to her extreme level of impairment. A preliminary breath sample provided on-scene registered a staggering 0.227% BrAC—nearly three times the legal driving limit in the State of Indiana.

Disturbance at IU Health Bedford

Spotts was placed under arrest and transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for a mandatory certified chemical blood draw, where two vials of whole blood were collected by medical staff at 12:42 AM.

While inside the medical facility, Spotts' behavior reportedly deteriorated further. According to court records, she became loudly vulgar and repeatedly cursed inside the fully occupied emergency room waiting area and treatment spaces. Despite multiple explicit warnings from arresting officers to lower her voice, she continued the disruptive behavior and repeatedly cycled through the same statements due to memory lapses.

Spotts was subsequently transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing on preliminary charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI), OWI-Endangerment, Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing, and Disorderly Conduct. Her vehicle was inventoried and impounded by Stone City Collision.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This information is obtained directly from public records.