Multiple people were injured in two separate crashes Tuesday, and a Bremen man died from his injuries. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies and emergency personnel responded Tuesday at approximately 1:21 p.m., near the intersection of U.S. 30 and CR 200W, after receiving a 911 call of a vehicle overturned, according to a KCSD press release. Responders arrived and found a male subject unconscious and critical who was pinned underneath a red 1993 Jeep Wrangler. Attempts to perform CPR on the driver were unsuccessful, and Kosciusko County Coroner Anthony Ciriello was summoned to the scene. Ciriello pronounced the driver, identified as Dustin W. Cullen, 34, Bremen, deceased as a result of what is believed to be blunt force trauma. A preliminary investigation by Kosciusko County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team members determined that Cullen had been eastbound on U.S. 30, approaching stopped or slowed traffic resulting from a construction zone, west of Warsaw. According to the press release, evidence at the scene, and witness statements, Cullen had swerved suddenly to his right at the last minute to avoid striking the stopped vehicles directly in front of his path. He then lost control of his vehicle, and it began to roll down an embankment area, coming to rest on its top and pinning him. Cullen was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. The second severe crash being investigated by KCSD deputies occurred at approximately 2:56 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of CRs 700N and 200E near Leesburg. Emergency personnel arrived and extracted five individuals from two separate vehicles. One of those victims, Josh Loetz, 18, Cromwell, was airlifted from the scene in critical condition with head injuries. Kosciusko County FACT members stated that a preliminary investigation of the crash determined that a white 1998 Ford Econoline van, driven by Quinn S. Crough, 20, Milford, was westbound on CR 700N, approaching the intersection of CR 200E, when he attempted to pass a vehicle in a no-passing zone as it was slowing directly in front of him. Officers stated that a blue 2013 Ford Focus, driven by Benito Lozano, 34, Aurora, Ill., attempted to cross the intersection northbound on CR 200E at the same time, but was impacted on the passenger’s side by Crough’s van. Also injured inside the Crough van were Mathes Torres Amado, 19, Syracuse, and Matthew G. Hamman, 21, Leesburg. Crough, Amado and Hamman were all taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for non-life threatening injuries, and reportedly in stable condition, according to the release. Both crashes are still under investigation at this time, according to Kosciusko County FACT reconstructionists. KCSD deputies were assisted Tuesday by members of the Atwood/Prairie Township Fire Department, Leesburg/Plain Township Fire Department, Warsaw Wayne Township Fire Territory and Lutheran Kosciusko EMS.
