ELKHART COUNTY - Six people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Saturday in Elkhart County.
According to an Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office crash news release, a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by Jeremy Ruebensam, 33, Elkhart, was traveling east at about 2:32 p.m. Saturday on CR 38 approaching CR 17. A 2020 Jeep Wrangler, driven by John Rutherford, 33, North Webster, was traveling north on CR 17 approaching CR 38.
Ruebensam disregarded the red traffic light and entered the intersection, continuing east, according to the release. The front end of the Caravan he was driving then hit the rear driver’s side of the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was pushed into a traffic light pole, and then down an embankment.
Ruebensam was taken to Memorial Hospital with head injury. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and was cited for operating without financial responsibility, disregarding a lighted signal and failure to wear a seatbelt.
He had three passengers in the Caravan, and all were injured but wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. Tyler De Francesco, 26, Goshen, suffered a cut on the back; a 4-year-old girl from Goshen suffered left-side pain; and John Ruebensam, 34, Goshen, suffered a broken left arm.
Rutherford was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, but was taken to Goshen Hospital for left-side pain.
A passenger in his vehicle, Arielle Rutherford, 28, North Webster, complained of right-side pain and also was taken to Goshen Hospital. She was wearing a seatbelt.
The Dodge Grand Caravan sustained front-end damage, while the Jeep Wrangler had damage all over, the release states.