Man charged with OWI

Bloomington Police Department officers responded to a vehicle accident at 12:47 p.m. Tuesday at West Third Street and Curry Pike.

Scott M. Housel, 49, of Bloomington, was driving a 1999 gray Chevrolet Silverado truck going east on Third Street when he made a left turn into the path of 53-year-old Wanda Loudenslager’s white 1997 Cadillac. There was extensive damage to both vehicles, BPD Lt. David Drake said, reading from a police report.

Police reported Housel had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, Drake said.
Housel initially denied having anything to drink, then admitted he had “a few” after police found Natural Light cans of beer and a pool of beer on the floor of his truck after the crash.

When police asked Housel what happened, he said he had been knocked out and didn’t remember if he was the person driving or not, Drake said, reading from a police report.
Five witnesses in the area confirmed to police that Housel was the driver of the truck and Housel was alone in his truck the whole time.

Housel faces a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which now becomes a class D felony after already having a prior OWI conviction from May 2005.
Both Housel and Loudenslager were taken to Bloomington Hospital for injuries. Housel was later released, and at about 4:10 p.m. he was booked in the Monroe County Jail.