Ambulance Incident Lands Man In Jail
January 10, 2020 at 3:38 a.m.
By Amanda [email protected]
Erasmo Montelongo-Hernandez, 73, of 10 W. Ind. 25, Mentone, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 7:56 p.m. Wednesday for leaving the scene of a crash causing property damage and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior OWI conviction.
According to the police report, Montelongo-Hernandez was driving his 2006 black Dodge pickup truck west on East Winona Avenue, Warsaw, approaching the intersection of South Ind. 15. A Kosciusko Ambulance Service ambulance, driven by Gary D. Hicks, was stopped facing east on East Winona Avenue in the left-turn lane to turn north onto South Ind. 15.
Hicks told police that Montelongo-Hernandez came into his lane of travel and struck the driver’s side mirror, then continued to drive west and did not appear to have any intentions of stopping.
Indiana State Police Lt. Chad Larsh was on duty and in the Indiana Lakes Bank parking lot preparing to turn onto East Winona Avenue when the collision occurred. Larsh conducted a traffic stop at South Buffalo Street and East Winona Avenue and approached the driver’s window. Larsh said the driver didn’t seem to even realize Larsh was behind him until he got to the man’s window.
Larsh said he initially believed that since the man was elderly that the man may not have had good vision and Larsh instructed Montelongo-Hernandez to return to the Indiana Lakes Bank parking lot.
However, Larsh then detected the odor of alcohol from the driver, according to the police report, and conducted a sobriety test.
Upon being booked into the jail, Montelongo-Hernandez allegedly told police that he knew his mirror had struck the ambulance mirror but he did not feel he needed to stop.
Montelongo-Hernandez also was cited for operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility.
His bond was set at $5,250.
Erasmo Montelongo-Hernandez, 73, of 10 W. Ind. 25, Mentone, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 7:56 p.m. Wednesday for leaving the scene of a crash causing property damage and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior OWI conviction.
According to the police report, Montelongo-Hernandez was driving his 2006 black Dodge pickup truck west on East Winona Avenue, Warsaw, approaching the intersection of South Ind. 15. A Kosciusko Ambulance Service ambulance, driven by Gary D. Hicks, was stopped facing east on East Winona Avenue in the left-turn lane to turn north onto South Ind. 15.
Hicks told police that Montelongo-Hernandez came into his lane of travel and struck the driver’s side mirror, then continued to drive west and did not appear to have any intentions of stopping.
Indiana State Police Lt. Chad Larsh was on duty and in the Indiana Lakes Bank parking lot preparing to turn onto East Winona Avenue when the collision occurred. Larsh conducted a traffic stop at South Buffalo Street and East Winona Avenue and approached the driver’s window. Larsh said the driver didn’t seem to even realize Larsh was behind him until he got to the man’s window.
Larsh said he initially believed that since the man was elderly that the man may not have had good vision and Larsh instructed Montelongo-Hernandez to return to the Indiana Lakes Bank parking lot.
However, Larsh then detected the odor of alcohol from the driver, according to the police report, and conducted a sobriety test.
Upon being booked into the jail, Montelongo-Hernandez allegedly told police that he knew his mirror had struck the ambulance mirror but he did not feel he needed to stop.
Montelongo-Hernandez also was cited for operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility.
His bond was set at $5,250.
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