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MENTONE - Three people were injured when two cars collided on Ind. 25 near Mentone Tuesday afternoon. The accident also resulted in another car going off the road.
Julia Madonna, 33, of Argos, was driving her car east on Ind. 25, near CR 700W, at 2:24 p.m. Tuesday. Police reported the vehicles in front of Madonna were slowing down because a chicken was in the roadway.
According to police, Madonna braked her car and apparently left the eastbound lane of the road and veered into the westbound lane.
The other driver, Alfredo Serrano, 50, Burket, was headed west when Madonna's car reportedly swerved into him. Witnesses told police that Serrano's car was in the westbound lanes the entire time.
Police reported it took nearly an hour for fire crews to free Serrano from his car.
He was airlifted to Parkview Memorial Hospital, Fort Wayne, for treatment of internal injuries. He is listed in serious condition there in the intensive care unit.
Madonna was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital and admitted with hip and leg injuries. She underwent surgery Tuesday evening and is listed in stable condition in the intensive care unit.
Her 11-year-old son was also treated at KCH for minor head bleeding and released.
Madonna's car came to rest across the east and westbound lanes of traffic. Serrano's car ended up in a swamp off the north side of the road.
The first accident was the apparent cause of another minor accident shortly afterwards.
Norman E. Meiser, 77, Rochester, told police he was driving east on Ind. 25, when he saw the cars from the previous accident.
According to police, Meiser was braking to avoid the vehicles when he lost control of his car and drove into a ditch on the north edge of the road.
Meiser did not report any injuries.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department investigated the accidents. Assisting at the scene were Mentone Emergency Medical Service, Warsaw Police Department and Indiana State Police.
