Evansville, IN – On November 28, 2024, an Evansville man was arrested on charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OVWI) and Operating a Vehicle Without Ever Obtaining a Valid Operator’s License after officers discovered him unresponsive in a running vehicle in Oakland City, Indiana.
At approximately 11:06 a.m., Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a disturbance in the 500 block of South Mulberry Street. Officers were unable to locate the source of the disturbance upon arrival, prompting them to continue searching the area. During this search, Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines found a man slumped over in a vehicle parked in the middle of the Las Islas Mexican Restaurant parking lot.
The officers conducted a welfare check on the individual, later identified as 21-year-old Ervin Velazquez of Evansville. While speaking with Velazquez, Deputy Wes Baumgart detected the strong odor of alcohol, leading to a roadside DUI investigation. Following the investigation, Velazquez was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail.
Velazquez was formally charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Operating a Vehicle Without Ever Obtaining a Valid Operator’s License. Deputies U.B. Smith and Michael Owens assisted Deputy Baumgart in the investigation, with Chief Gaines providing additional support.
As with all criminal defendants, Velazquez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
