An Indianapolis mother is staring down a raft of charges after police say she crashed a car with three children inside, tried to take off, and then blew more than twice Indiana’s legal alcohol limit on a breath test. Court documents also say officers found a loaded handgun in her purse.
The incident unfolded last Thursday near 17th Street and Central Avenue, where an IMPD officer responded to a reported personal-injury crash. According to Fox 59, police said Shyann Cole hit curbs on both sides of the road, smashed into a parked car, and then allegedly tried to leave the scene.
Officers reported that Cole smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot and glassy eyes, struggled to keep her balance, and had several cuts on her legs and forearm. Indiana’s legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers is 0.08%, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Court documents say Cole’s portable breath test registered 0.196%.
Police took Cole to a nearby hospital for a blood draw and medical evaluation. The three children were transported to a different hospital for evaluation, according to the court documents. The records do not specify the children’s medical findings.
OWI, Neglect And Leaving-The-Scene Counts Filed
The charging documents list multiple counts, including neglect of a dependent, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more, and leaving the scene of an accident. The counts include Level 6 felonies, along with misdemeanor OWI and leaving-the-scene allegations.
Cole was later taken to the Marion County Criminal Justice Center. The charges remain allegations at this stage, and the court documents do not establish guilt. Future hearings or additional filings could offer more detail on the case.
