Carmel mayor in crash while showing ‘potential sites’ to film producers
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) – The mayor of Carmel was showing around four movie producers in December when he had a crash in the city, according to a police report and a news release.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard was showing “potential sites around Carmel” including the holiday Christkindlmarkt market when the crash occurred about 2:45 p.m. Dec. 15 on Main Street east of Knoll Court. That’s near the Main Street On The Monon apartments. The release said no one was hurt in the crash of the leased 2017 Ford Fusion being driven by Brainard and an unidentified driver of a Chevrolet Tracker sport-utility vehicle.
The Carmel police report said the red SUV appeared to have only a driver inside it, according to video from a closed-circuit camera of the city. It also said one occupant of Brainard’s car complained of neck pain but refused medical treatment. The report also said is was a dry, cloudy day.
“According to the Mayor, while he was attempting to make a U-turn from the right lane of West Main Street, he accidentally struck the passenger side of a car that was attempting to pass on the left,” the release said.
“The two drivers exchanged contact information and the other driver went on his way. The Mayor and his passengers waited for police. Later, when police tried to track down the other driver as part of their investigation, they could not locate him. Due to that false information, they classified this as a hit-and-run.”
Carmel police, at the mayor’s request, took him to a testing center for a blood-alcohol test, which registered no alcohol in his blood. The mayor requested the test because some people had criticized him after a prior accident, the release said.
“According to the city handbook, city employee drivers who are in an accident are required to take a test through our health center regardless of whether there is evidence of drinking. But it is important to point out that the Mayor not an employee – he is an elected official and therefore not under the same requirements,” the release said.
The accident report listed people in the car; Cindy Gustafson and Ariana Gustafson of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Halyna Hutchins of Los Angeles; and Alexander Merry of Brighton, Mich.