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A man’s medical condition may have led to an SUV-truck collision at around 12:40 p.m. Monday near the intersection of Market and Detroit streets.
According to a Warsaw Police Department accident report, Alvin G. Schambers, 59, East CR 200N, Warsaw, said he was stopped in his tan 2002 GMC Sierra at the light waiting to make his turn north when a blue 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SE collided into the right side of his vehicle. The force of the collision caused his pickup truck to move forward about 20 feet.
When WPD officer Wayne D. Wilkie tried to speak with the driver of the Caravan – Dannyjo L. Slabaugh, 34, Old Colony Road, Warsaw – he found Slabaugh was still seated in the driver’s seat, the vehicle was still running and the doors were locked. Slabaugh saw Wilkie but would not respond when he was asked to unlock the doors.
Wilkie saw the driver was sweating profusely and the outdoor temperature was around 43 degrees. He also saw Slabaugh’s hands were shaking and his skin was very pale, the report states.
After attempts to communicate with Slabaugh, Wilkie called for another officer and used some tools on the Caravan to open the door.
Medics also were called to respond to the scene due to this accident possibly being from a medical condition, the report states.
Once Wilkie got the vehicle opened, the driver was loaded into the ambulance and taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital.
The accident report states the officer is unaware of any other reason for the accident other than Slabaugh had a medical condition that caused him to collide into the other vehicle.
Damage to both vehicles was estimated at $2,500 to $5,000.
