The drivers and passengers in two early Saturday morning accidents on U.S. 30 involving multiple injuries were all from out of the county.
In the first accident at 2:51 a.m. Saturday, Eliphase Denatus, 36, of Naples, Fla., told the investigating Warsaw Police Department officer that he was driving his red Ford Edge east on West U.S. 30 near the CR 150W intersection. He said as his Ford approached the white Ford Explorer - driven by Melinda S. Hodges, 57, Elkhart, he attempted to apply the brake to stop but he accidentally pushed the accelerator instead, according to the accident report. The Ford Edge then crashed into the Ford Explorer.
Denatus complained of wrist and hand pain and later, at Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital, complained of chest pain.
A passenger in Denatus’s vehicle, Alex Leonel, 21, of Findlay, Ohio, complained of pain in his mouth and the officer saw blood coming from his mouth. Leonel was taken by Lutheran Medic 11 to LKH.
Hodges told the investigating officer that she was driving the Explorer east on West U.S. 30 near the CR 150W intersection. She advised she was stopped at the traffic light when the Ford Edge rear-ended her. She did not report any injuries.
A witness advised he was driving his vehicle behind Denatus’ Ford Edge. He believed the Edge was traveling about 55 mph when it hit the rear of the Explorer.
Both vehicles had disabling damage and Denatus was cited for driving without a valid license.
The second accident at 3:55 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of East U.S. 30 and Anchorage Road, Warsaw, was caused by a semi driver distracted by his dog in his cab.
Upon the WPD investigating officer’s arrival to the scene of the collision, he saw a gray 2017 Ford Transit van in the south ditch of East U.S. 30, east of Anchorage Road. The van sustained heavy damage. A white 2015 International LF 687 semi was on the right shoulder of East U.S. 30 with heavy damage to the front end.
The driver of the van, James R. White, 65, Columbia City, told the investigating officer that he was stopped in the right lane of travel, heading east on U.S. 30 at the red light at the intersection of Anchorage Road when he was hit in the rear end by a semi.
The driver of the semi, Robert Carson, 31, Hamptonville, N.C., stated he was traveling in the right lane of travel, heading east on East U.S. 30 when he became distracted by his dog in the cab of the semi. Carson stated he was unable to avoid the van, striking it in the rear end with the front of his semi.
James R. White and passengers Jacquelyne White, 62; Theresa Roberts, 37; and David Roberts, 36, all of Columbia City, were taken to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital for medical treatment. Jacquelyne White and David Roberts complained of back pain while Theresa Roberts had minor bleeding to the back.
Carson complained of back pain.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 4:56 a.m. Saturday for possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish.