Lisa Trigg
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
A Terre Haute man whose vehicle struck a parked police car that had its emergency warning lights activated now faces multiple criminal charges.
William R. Friede, 26, was arrested at about 2 a.m. Tuesday after he drove through barricades and a stop sign on South Seventh Street near Hospital Lane, while Duke Energy crews were making repairs to power lines and poles damaged in Monday’s storms.
Friede’s vehicle collided head-on with the patrol vehicle of Deputy Scott Brown of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department while Brown was inside the vehicle. Friede’s vehicle then continued northbound and struck a utility pole before stopping.
Brown’s vehicle was parked behind several reflective barricades and a reflective stop sign indicating that the portion of Seventh Street between St. Anthony Drive and Davis Drive was closed because of the work of Duke Energy. Several Duke employees and vehicles were in the direct path of Friede’s vehicle and were parked near Brown’s patrol car at the time of the crash. Duke personnel were working on the ground and in the air in bucket trucks. Two Duke employees witnessed the incident.
The barricades and sign were knocked about 100 feet from their positions.
Brown’s vehicle received extensive damage and the airbags were deployed. Brown was treated at Regional Hospital for minor injuries and was later released. Brown was given a blood-alcohol test, in line with department procedure, which showed no alcohol in his system.
Friede was also treated at Regional Hospital and tested .13 percent BAC. In Indiana, .08 percent BAC is considered legally intoxicated. Friede also tested positive for marijuana and opiates, according to the sheriff’s department. Friede was also found to have a 2008 drunken driving conviction. He was charged with felony drunken driving, criminal recklessness with a motor vehicle, disregarding a stop sign and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle parked on the roadway.
Friede appeared in Vigo Superior Court 5 on Tuesday afternoon.
The crash was investigated by Deputy John Davis, with assistance from Terre Haute Police and Honey Creek Fire departments and Trans-Care ambulance service.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.
