Elijah Berry, 31, was arrested early Tuesday morning on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Bloomington police said his five children and a woman were also inside the vehicle.
Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said Berry was arrested on other preliminary charges, including leaving the scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license as well as battery and ?strangulation.
Berry was also cited for not having proof of insurance. He was arrested at about 1:15 a.m.
He was driving in his 2000 gold Lincoln Town Car.
BPD officers responded at about 6:54 p.m. Tuesday to the 1200 block of South Rogers Street in reference to an accident in which the operator of the vehicle had left the scene of the accident prior to the first responders’ arrival.
A witness told officers Berry was driving east on Patterson Drive near South Rogers Street when the witness observed Berry’s vehicle disregard a traffic light at the intersection of Rogers Drive and Patterson Street.
The town car then drove south in the northbound lane to pass a vehicle, crossing left of center. The vehicle returned to the southbound lane, struck a curb, ran off the roadway, flipping once and landing upright on its tires, Crider said.
The witness told officers the vehicle then returned to the road and continued along South Rogers Street at a high rate of speed.
The witness followed the vehicle to Berry’s apartment complex also on South Rockport Road, where he reportedly observed Berry and a woman arguing ?outside.
Police later received a report that Berry and the female had gotten into a physical altercation.
Berry reportedly became upset with the female, grabbed her by her neck and pushed her up against a wall, causing a complaint of pain and impairing her ability to breathe, Crider said.
When questioned, Berry said he had taken his five children to a friend’s house, where he had been drinking alcohol but he did not admit how much. A responding officer reported the smell of alcohol on Berry’s person.
Berry also admitted to being the operator of the ?vehicle.
One child had a complaint of pain from the car accident but did not sustain any injuries requiring a visit to the hospital. Following his arrest, Berry was remanded to the Monroe County Jail.
Andy Wittry
