A Columbus tow truck driver accused of rear-ending a vehicle while under the influence of methamphetamine and causing the death of a Brown County man has a new jury trial date after prosecutors declined to offer any plea bargain in the case.
Ruel P. Pedigo III, 49, appeared in Bartholomew Circuit Court Monday morning for a change of plea hearing with his attorney, John Razumich, Indianapolis.
Pedigo, who appeared in court clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie, is accused of operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, a Level 4 felony, the most serious among charges he faces; reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony; and causing serious bodily injury when operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, a Level 6 felony.
The charges stem from a multi-vehicle accident at 7:40 p.m. Jan. 27 in the eastbound lanes of Jonathan Moore Pike near Johnson Boulevard, involving as many as six vehicles.
Investigators said Pedigo was driving a Ford F650 tow truck with a vehicle on the flatbed when he rear-ended a Mazda 3 car driven by Patrick N. Bowman, 35, of Brown County, who died. Bowman, who was originally from Columbus, graduated from Columbus North High School in 2001.
A passenger in Bowman’s car, Sarah Fliehman, 25, also of Brown County, suffered a head injury.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
