Crown Point Man Charged In Porter County With OWI Causing Serious Bodily Injury
Joshua Pagel, 41, of Crown Point, is charged in Porter County, following an early-morning crash at about 12:21 a.m. on February 21 at 500 W 100 S, Valparaiso, in Porter County, Indiana, according to court documents.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Pagel was identified as the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash after the vehicle was found off the roadway with heavy front-end damage. A witness reported the vehicle had sped through a four-way intersection at a high rate of speed before the crash.
Court documents state Pagel admitted being the driver at the time of the collision. Investigators observed signs of intoxication including a strong odor of intoxicants, watery and bloodshot eyes, and soiled clothing. Pagel refused field sobriety testing and refused a chemical breath test after being advised of Indiana’s implied consent law, according to court records.
The crash resulted in serious bodily injury to another person, who was extricated from the vehicle by fire and EMS personnel, according to court documents.
Lodged in the Porter County Jail.
Charges filed February 23,2026:
• Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Serious Bodily Injury — Level 5 Felony
• Operating While Intoxicated Endangering a Person — Class A Misdemeanor
