Local man accused of OWI after three-vehicle accident

COLUMBUS, Ind. — A local man was arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated after he was involved in a three-vehicle accident on Sunday evening.

At approximately 8:20 p.m., CPD officers responded to the 4000 block of 31st
Street in regards to the crash, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman. It was reported to officers that one of the drivers, later identified as Sheldon
Beck, 62, of Columbus was traveling east on 31st Street when his vehicle rear-ended another passenger car, Harris said.

Beck

Beck then reportedly put his car in reverse and backed into another vehicle in the area.
When officers made contact with Beck, they noted that his speech was slurred. Beck became uncooperative with officers while they were administering field sobriety tests, police said. Beck was taken into custody and refused to submit to a blood draw. A search warrant was later obtained for a blood draw at Columbus Regional Hospital.
Beck was placed under arrest and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail where he was remanded on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (Level 6 felony).

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.