PEORIA (25News Now) -Newly obtained Illinois State Police records are providing additional details about the DUI investigation involving Peoria City Council member Kiran Velpula. Records include a second preliminary breath test, blood and urine collection, and statements Velpula made to investigators about drinking vodka the morning of his arrest.
The records were obtained by 25News through a Freedom of Information Act request and document the portion of the investigation handled by Illinois State Police after Peoria Police initially responded.
Velpula is accused of driving under the influence involving a combination of alcohol, drugs or an intoxicating compound.
According to the ISP report, Peoria Police requested assistance from State Police because Velpula is a Peoria city official, and officers wanted ISP to handle the DUI portion of the investigation to maintain the integrity of the case.
The report says officers had been told Velpula was involved in multiple crashes earlier that morning before he was located inside his vehicle near his home.
ISP records show .027 preliminary breath test
One of the most notable details in the newly released records is a preliminary breath test result of .027.
An Illinois State Police alcohol and drug influence summary said a preliminary breath test was administered and lists the result as .027.
That differs significantly from the .285 preliminary breath test reading previously shown in Peoria Police body camera footage obtained by 25News.
The readings were taken at different points in the investigation. The newly released ISP documents do not explain why the results differ.
The ISP narrative said a trooper conducted a horizontal gaze nystagmus test at the hospital before asking Velpula to provide a breath sample. The report stated the preliminary breath test produced a .027 result.
Preliminary breath testing is separate from laboratory analysis of blood or urine, which investigators also collected.
Blood and urine samples collected
ISP records showed both blood and urine samples were taken from Velpula while he was at OSF HealthCare in Peoria.
The paperwork listed a urine sample collected at approximately 1:23 p.m. and a blood sample at approximately 1:30 p.m. An OSF registered nurse is identified as the person who collected the samples.
The ISP narrative said Velpula agreed to provide both samples after being read a warning to motorist.
The records released to 25News include toxicology and evidence collection paperwork, but they do not include final laboratory findings showing what, if anything, was detected in Velpula’s blood or urine.
ISP records said authorities seized evidence as part of the investigation. The field report lists the case as “pending investigation” and references a citation, evidence inventory receipt, laboratory paperwork and warning to motorist among the attachments.
Velpula told ISP he drank vodka that morning
The records also documented statements Velpula made to State Police while at the hospital.
When asked whether he had been drinking, the report listed his response as “vodka and soda.”
When asked how much he drank, the report lists “2 small shots.”
Another portion of the report stated “2 shots of vodka at 9AM.”
The interview form separately lists Velpula as saying he started drinking around 9:30 a.m., stopped drinking around 10 a.m., and said he had been drinking at home. As a result, the records contain slightly different references to the exact time Velpula said he had been drinking. This is different from what he told Peoria Police. Velpula can be seen repeatedly telling Peoria Police Officers he had not been drinking alcohol.
ISP documents observations at hospital
The newly released records provide additional details about what troopers said they observed while speaking with Velpula.
ISP’s alcohol and drug influence paperwork described the effects of alcohol, drugs or a combination as “obvious,” while also listing Velpula’s ability to understand instructions as “good.”
The paperwork also documented what investigators described as a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage.
Velpula’s speech was marked as mumbled, while his attitude was documented as sleepy and cooperative.
Those descriptions reflect the investigating officer’s observations and are separate from any laboratory toxicology findings.
Some sobriety testing could not be completed
Traditional field sobriety testing was limited because Velpula was in a hospital bed.
The ISP paperwork stated the walk-and-turn test was not completed because the “suspect [was] in hospital.”
The one-leg stand portion similarly noted the “suspect [was] in hospital bed.”
The records do show that a horizontal gaze nystagmus test was performed.
According to the officer’s narrative, the trooper said he observed clues during that test before requesting the preliminary breath sample.
Miranda warning and interview documented
ISP records showed Velpula was advised of his Miranda rights during the hospital investigation.
The paperwork listed the warning as being given at approximately 1:33 p.m.
Investigators then asked Velpula a series of questions about where he was, what day it was, whether he had been drinking and what he had consumed.
The interview paperwork said Velpula identified Peoria as the city he was in and Thursday as the day of the week. When asked for the date, the report listed his response as “the 10th.”
ISP body-camera footage exists
The FOIA records also confirm Illinois State Police recorded video during its portion of the investigation.
The alcohol and drug influence report listed a video number, while the ISP field report separately stated “Video Taken: Yes.”
The ISP narrative said Troopers W. Matarelli and S. Quiram activated body-worn cameras while conducting the hospital investigation.
That footage could provide additional context about Velpula’s interaction with State Police, the sobriety testing, preliminary breath test and collection of blood and urine.
25News previously obtained and reported on Peoria Police body-camera footage and 911 calls surrounding the incident.
Toxicology results remain unanswered
The newly released records confirmed investigators obtained blood and urine samples, but the FOIA response does not include completed laboratory toxicology results.
Those results could provide additional information about the amount of alcohol or presence of other substances in Velpula’s system at the time the samples were collected.
They could also provide additional context surrounding the difference between the .285 preliminary breath test reading shown in Peoria Police body-camera footage and the .027 preliminary breath result documented later by Illinois State Police.
25News has filed additional Freedom of Information Act requests with Illinois State Police seeking the completed toxicology results from Velpula’s blood and urine samples, along with all ISP body-worn camera footage connected to the investigation.
25News will continue to follow the case as additional records become available.
Velpula’s case remains pending, and the allegations against him have not been proven in court. His court dates are set for Oct. 16. and Oct. 30.
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