EVANSVILLE, Ind.–A man from Evansville was arrested because police say he crashed his Ford Explorer while driving impaired with three kids in it.
William Burdette, 27, of Evansville is accused of driving his Explorer impaired westbound on I-64 when he went off the road, rolled the Explorer several times, and crashed into an embankment at around 1 Friday morning.
A woman in the car and Burdette’s six-year-old daughter had minor injuries. His two sons were not injured.
“Everyone was buckled up. The woman refused any extensive medical treatment. Those children are ages 6, 3, and 1. Thankfully, they weren’t seriously injured,” said Indiana State Police Sergeant Todd Ringle.
Burdette was taken to the Warrick County Jail.
“When the officers talked to the driver (Burdette), they detected that he was showing signs of impairment. They could smell alcohol and his speech was slurred,” said Ringle.
Burdette later agreed to submit to a blood test. Results from that test are pending.
A family member came by to pick up the woman and Burdette’s children.
Ringle said the children were wearing the seatbelts, which made a big difference.
“When a vehicle leaves the roadway at about 65+ mph and rolls several times, but those individuals to survive that crash, that shows you the importance of seatbelts and child restraints,” said Ringle.
Burdette was charged with the following:
-Neglect of a Dependent, Level 5 Felony
-Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with Passengers under the age of 18, Level 6 Felony
-Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Class A Misdemeanor
LEAD: Full interview with Indiana State Police Sergeant Todd Ringle
