A Plainfield man who endured numerous years in prison for striking and killing a bicyclist while operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol was once more apprehended while operating a vehicle while heavily inebriated.
Timothy Hughes, 27, was apprehended for driving under the influence of alcohol on two separate occasions within the past two months, according to police reports. Hughes’ blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit during both of his most recent arrests.
It is described how Hughes rear-ended two 22-year-old bicyclists in Hancock County on August 11, 2015, when he was 17 years old. Hughes exhibited clear signs of impairment and ultimately accumulated a blood alcohol content of.28%, which is more than three times the legal limit.
Hughes maintained that he did not observe the women riding their bicycles and acknowledged that he had consumed alcohol prior to operating the vehicle. One of the women passed away, while the other sustained severe injuries.
Hughes was sentenced to six years in state prison for this fatal crash, according to state prison records. However, he was released in 2020 after serving approximately 4.5 years.
However, Hughes’ defective judgment was not remedied by his imprisonment.
According to a police report, Hughes was apprehended by Cicero police at 7 a.m. on May 1 while driving inebriated to work near 236th and Tollgate Road. Hughes allegedly attempted to flee from the police after being pulled over at his place of employment, claiming that he would be terminated if he did not report to work.
Hughes’ blood alcohol content was 3%, a level that was dangerously high and bordered on alcohol poisoning.
Hughes was released from custody on May 16, according to court records.
Hughes was never able to maintain his distance from the bottle or avoid getting into trouble. Hughes’ subsequent arrest for drunk driving in Henry County occurred on June 16, just one month later.
Hughes was observed driving erratically on State Road 3, just north of I-70, outside of New Castle, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Department. His blood alcohol content was once again exceeding the legal limit by approximately three and a half times.
Hughes is currently facing four Level 5 felonies in Hamilton County, one of which is operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction. Though Hughes has not yet been officially charged in Henry County, he is currently being held in jail on preliminary charges of OWI with a prior conviction, a Level 5 felony.
A Level 5 felony in Indiana is punishable by a maximum of six years in in prison.
