Huntingburg woman LifeFlighted; faces charges of drunken driving

A Huntingburg resident who was airlifted to St. Mary’s for injuries she received after crashing her car early Monday morning had a blood alcohol content of .23 percent, according to police.

Melissa S. Wheatley, 30, of N. Jackson Street, suffered a head injury during the single-vehicle accident she was involved in on South Meridian Road about a mile south of the State Road 162 bypass at about 12:14 a.m. Police say Wheatley was driving from Jasper to Huntingburg when her 2004 Ford Focus went off the road, struck a fence belonging to William Giesler at 2668 S. Meridian Road and then stopped against a tree.

Wheatley fled the scene as a passenger in a vehicle that had been following her, but a Dubois County Sheriff’s deputy was able to stop that vehicle shortly after it left the scene. Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services was called to the vehicle stop and then transported Wheatley to the hospital due to the extent of her injuries. She was then LifeFlighted to St. Mary’s Medical Center.

According to deputies, the accident is still under investigation, but Wheatley is facing charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

Responding officers believe Wheatley was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.

The car was considered a total loss and the fence had about $750 in damages, according to police.

Jasper Police Department, Huntingburg Police Department, Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services and a Uebelhor and Sons wrecker assisted.