Elizabethtown man accused of drunk driving in North Vernon

An Elizabethtown man was arrested earlier this week after fleeing from North Vernon police.

According to the North Vernon Police Department, the incident started at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday afternoon when officers were called to reports of a driver leaving the scene of a crash into a stop sign near 9th Street and O&M Avenue. While speaking to a witness at the scene, more reports began coming in of a reckless driver headed north on State Street. Witnesses said the driver was swerving into oncoming traffic, driving on the concrete median and striking a curb.

An officer caught up to the vehicle on North State Road 7 and found the driver speeding while straddling the double yellow line, causing other drivers to drive off the road. The driver refused to stop for police and continued to speed away at up to 90mph or more. The driver finally stopped his vehicle in the middle of a curve at Geneva Road and State Road 7.

Despite continuing to refuse officer’s commands, police took the driver, 79 year old Paul T. Humes Jr. of Elizabethtown into custody. Field tests indicted that Humes had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit. After being taken to the hospital to have his blood tested, Humes was arrested on preliminary charges including:

Operating a vehicle while intoxicated and while intoxicated with endangerment, resisting law enforcement, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.