The Indiana State Police (ISP) arrested a truck driver after receiving several reports of a semi-truck driving erratically in Tippecanoe County.
Shortly before 1:00 p.m. on August 9, 2026, the ISP received 911 calls reporting a semi-truck that was “driving erratically and having difficulty staying in its lane.”
ISP Officer Fike located the suspect semi-truck on southbound I-65 at mile marker 175 and observed that the vehicle was having difficulty staying in its lane.
A traffic stop was conducted, and Officer Fike approached the truck’s driver, Mykola Velga, 63, of Brooklyn, New York.
“During the traffic stop, Officer Fike had reasonable grounds to believe that Velga was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol,” stated the Lafayette District of the ISP.
Velga was booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail on a charge of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 or higher, a Class A misdemeanor.
In addition, an inspection of the commercial vehicle was conducted, resulting in Velga’s vehicle being taken off the road.
Officers used the incident as an opportunity to remind commercial vehicle drivers that they must drive sober.
“Driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence of alcohol poses a significant danger to other drivers due to the size and weight of these vehicles. The Indiana State Police reminds drivers that driving under the influence of alcohol can have serious and potentially fatal consequences, especially when it involves a commercial vehicle traveling on an interstate highway,” the ISP stated.
