Less than two weeks ago, a Wabash man was killed in a crash at the intersection of CR 900N and Ind. 15.
At their meeting Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners unanimously approved a letter supporting improvements to that intersection.
Kosciusko County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Moriarty asked the commissioners to approve and sign the letter.
“This currently isn’t our intersection, but yet it’s still in our county and we would like to see and be in support of any safety improvements that could be made to this intersection to reduce any fatalities or any further injuries at this intersection,” Moriarty stated, adding that the letter will be sent to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). “It goes along with their study that they’re doing upcoming here very shortly. We’ve talked to them, and they are aware of the situation, but we are just showing our support to push this forward to show how important it is to us as a county to get this done.”
Commissioner Bob Conley made a motion approving the letter to INDOT. Commissioner Cary Groninger seconded the motion, saying he gets phone calls about the CR 900N and Ind. 15 intersection and improvements are “definitely needed.”
“Absolutely,” agreed Commissioner Brad Jackson.
The letter states: “The Kosciusko County Board of Commissioners would like to show their support for improving the intersection of CR 900N and SR 15. Very recently there has been a fatality at this intersection and multiple other accidents.
“Any safety improvements that could be made would be supported by our elected and appointed officials. In Kosciusko County our responsibility is to keep the traveling public as safe as possible. With the improvement to this intersection, we believe that it would cut down on accidents and prevent any further fatalities in the future.
“We hope that showing our support can bring a resolution to address these safety concerns,” the letter concludes.
On Sept. 28, Nathaniel Foster, 33, of Wabash, was killed shortly after 4 a.m. when his 2017 Ford Escape was hit by an eastbound 2023 Mazda CX-5, driven by Cesar Mendoza Martinez, 25, of Jupiter, Fla., that failed to stop for a stop sign at the CR 900N and Ind. 15 intersection. Martinez and his two passengers both complained of pain to their bodies.
According to information provided by Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Sgt. Doug Light, from Jan. 1, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2023, at the intersection of CR 900N and Ind. 15, the KCSO has responded to 24 slideoffs, 41 unknown accidents, 63 property damage accidents, 62 personal injury accidents and two fatalities.