A 19-year-old Carmel man is facing a stack of misdemeanor charges after deputies say he rear-ended another vehicle at Fair Street and Gleneida Avenue late on September 11, then tried to drive away with his doors locked, forced a deputy to smash his window, and bolted on foot before off-duty officers and civilian bystanders helped take him into custody.
Esdras R. Cardona Ovalle was taken into custody after the crash, according to the Daily Voice, which reported that deputies were dispatched to the intersection around 11:30 p.m. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office also logged the incident in its weekend police blotter, confirming that deputies responded to a motor vehicle crash on Fair Street in Carmel where the driver attempted to flee and resisted arrest.
Per the Daily Voice's account, Cardona Ovalle was driving a 2014 Honda when it rear-ended another vehicle. Rather than stopping, he allegedly tried to drive off, keeping his doors locked and ignoring repeated orders to stop. A responding deputy ultimately broke the driver's-side window, at which point Cardona Ovalle climbed out through the passenger side and took off on foot, the outlet reported.
Off-Duty Officers and Bystanders Step In
The chase didn't last long. An off-duty Putnam County Sheriff's deputy and an off-duty Carmel police officer, along with several good Samaritans, helped take Cardona Ovalle into custody, according to the same report. Authorities said no one was seriously injured in the crash or the scramble that followed. The sheriff's office released body camera footage from the arrest, the Daily Voice noted.
The crash occurred at Fair Street and Gleneida Avenue in Carmel. Weeks earlier, Putnam County Sheriff's deputies assisted Carmel Police during a stabbing call at the U.S. Post Office on July 30, per the sheriff's office's daily blotter.
Charges Include Aggravated DWI
Cardona Ovalle was charged with aggravated DWI, standard DWI, resisting arrest, and second-degree obstructing governmental administration — all misdemeanors — along with several vehicle and traffic violations, the Daily Voice reported. He was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Carmel Town Justice Court.
An aggravated DWI charge requires an alleged blood alcohol content of .18 percent or higher, while the standard legal limit is 0.08%. A first-offense conviction on that charge carries up to a year in jail, fines between $1,000 and $2,500, and a one-year license revocation, per Larkin Ingrassia Andrews Criminal Defense Attorneys.
Cardona Ovalle also faces resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing governmental administration charges. Appearance tickets like the one issued to Cardona Ovalle are standard for non-felony misdemeanor cases, directing the accused to a municipal court date while allowing release before arraignment, according to Halston Media News.
Carmel Police Extra Patrols
Carmel Police ran extra patrols through late summer.
