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One teen is dead and another arrested after a one-car accident early Saturday that police said involved alcohol.
Several other minors were arrested at a nearby residence and other passengers in the vehicle face charges of illegal consumption of alcohol.
Andrew J. Cook, 19, of West CR 900S, Claypool, was a front-seat passenger in the car registered to his mother and stepfather. Cook suffered a broken neck and was pronounced dead at the scene of the 12:30 a.m. Saturday accident on Wildwood Trail, west of Nina Lane at Goose Lake. According to the police report, Cook was restrained by a harness, and the passenger-side air bag deployed.
Paul Randall Finnegan, 19, of 3259 Wilson Ave., Silver Lake, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on charges of driving while intoxicated causing death and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He was later released from custody after posting $5,000 bond. He suffered an abrasion to his shoulder and was treated at Kosciusko Community Hospital and released before being booked into the county jail at 9:36 a.m. Saturday.
Finnegan was brought to the hospital at 3:40 a.m. Saturday by a Warsaw fireman. Finnegan said he walked away from the scene to get help. However, no contact was made between Finnegan and law enforcement from the time of the accident until he came into KCH. He reportedly told police he concumed seven beers prior to the accident.
Also injured in the accident was Macy Moore, 19, of Warsaw, who suffered a neck injury and was taken to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne, where she was listed in good condition this morning. Witnesses told police that Moore was hanging upside down out the driver's side of the car asking for help when they approached the car. She had been seated in the back seat on the driver's side when the accident occurred. Moore told police the car "was going too fast and hit a tree," according to the accident report. The front end of the car struck the tree nearly head-on.
Two other passengers Daniel Garrido, 18, and Justin Miller, 19, both of Warsaw, suffered cuts to their heads. Both were treated at KCH and later released.
Police said Garrido also walked away from the scene of the accident, but he was located lying down in a wooded area southwest of the accident scene after witnesses told officers they saw two people leaving the scene. Garrido at first denied being in the vehicle but, after being questioned about a head injury, admitted being a passenger in the car.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the five teens attended a party at the Tobias Buck residence, 2372 W. Wildwood Drive, Warsaw, prior to the accident. Garrido told police he and his friends left the residence after Buck asked them to leave.
All of the occupants of the vehicle were tested for alcohol and drug use. Preliminary charging information was filed with the accident report indicating Moore, Miller and Garrido will be charged with illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.
A related investigation at the Buck residence resulted in 10 more arrests. The alleged underage drinkers were among 14 minors present at the Buck home. Four of the minors tested negative for alcohol consumption.
Arrested at the Buck residence and charged with illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor were:
• Scott A. Snider, 19, of 429 E. Lynnwood Drive, Warsaw;
• Josh W. Buck, 19, of 2372 W. Wildwood Trail, Warsaw;
• Damon D. Lacenta, 19, Fort Wayne;
• Jeffrey S. Holm, 18, Woodland Hills, Calif.;
• Jason M. Mayora, 20, Las Vegas, Nev.;
• Matthew B. Lowman, 19, of 1590 E. CR 300S, Warsaw;
• Brian J. Johnson, 19, of 914 Fisher Ave., Warsaw;
• Craige T. Westover, 19, of 4114 E. Forest Glen Ave., Leesburg;
• Matthew H. Small, 20, of 2325 S. Stonebridge Road, Warsaw; and
• Danyel M. Ott, 19, of 2664 Harmony Court, Winona Lake.
Bond was set at $175 for each. All have since been released from custody.
Assisting at the scene of the accident were personnel from Warsaw police and fire departments and Multi-Township Emergency Medical Service.
The accident remains under investigation.
