Linsey Davis/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Police say a local doctor, who crashed into traffic stopping for a police blockade Sunday, had a blood alcohol content of nearly six times the legal limit.
Lt. Mike Nielson says Richard Lundeen of Indianapolis was behind a group of cars slowed by a previous accident at SR 334 and CR 700E when he slammed into the car in front of him. Nielson says Lundeen, a local podiatrist, was very impaired.
"By the time we got him to the hospital two hours later, he was at .46," said Nielson.
A blood alcohol content that high could be lethal to some. Lundeen reportedly told police he'd had one beer, but police say there is no way one beer would cause him to test almost six times the legal blood alcohol limit.
"I would not be conscious," said Nielson, "I'm a lot bigger than you are (to reporter Linsey Davis). You would probably be dead."
Mary Robbins-Nierste felt the effects of a .46 blood alcohol level firsthand without ever taking a drink. She was in the Honda in front of Lundeen.
"We were approaching an accident and I was slowing down, almost stopped and just bam from the back, just hard. I didn't see him coming at all so he couldn't have braked."
Lundeen's blood alcohol content was so high he couldn't be released from the hospital until 7:00 a.m. Monday, 12 hours after the Boone County crash. His BAC then was .24, still three times the legal limit.
Mary Robbins-Nierste says she considers herself lucky. "To have someone like that on the road and we lived through that. It's a miracle."
Mary and her 15-year-old daughter are fortunate. Last year, nationwide, 17,000 victims of drunk driving crashes were not as lucky.
Lundeen now faces charges of driving while intoxicated and operating with a BAC of at least .15.
