Greensburg man get max sentence for OWI history

(VERSAILLES, Ind.) – A Greensburg man is going back to prison due to a long history of impaired driving. 

A Ripley County judge sentenced 49-year-old Nelson Harmeyer, Jr. to the maximum of 10-and-a-half years in prison this week. 

Prosecutors argued for the maximum sentence due to Harmeyer’s criminal history including 5 OWI convictions and also that he recently finished an 8-year sentence on similar charges. 

Harmeyer Jr. admitted to being a Habitual Vehicular Substance Offender after pleading guilty, prosecutors said.

This case was investigated by Ned Thompson of the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department who testified as the State’s primary witness at the trial. Rae Schuler was the prosecutor representing the State of Indiana in the trial. 

Prosecuting Ric Hertel had high praise for Deputy Thompson as this was his first jury trial as lead officer.

“Deputy Prosecutor Schuler had spent considerable time preparing for the trial with Deputy Thompson and lab personnel and the verdict reflected that,” Hertel said. 

Hertel added that the community is safer with Harmeyer Jr. incarcerated.