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Charges of reckless homocide filed against a Claypool man were dropped earlier this week by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's office.
Caleb Earon Stephens, 19, of 9719 S. CR 750W, was charged in connection with the auto accident that killed Michael K. "Kim" Petroskey, 39, of 3643 S. Bruner Road, Warsaw. Petrosky died in the April 18, 1996, accident that occurred at the intersection of county roads 900S and 1000W, near Mentone.
Stephens was westbound on CR 900S, and Petrosky, with the right-of-way, was northbound on CR 1000W. After sliding 119 feet, Stephens' vehicle struck Petrosky's truck.
According to the prosecutor's office, investigators originally believed Stephens' alleged excessive speed prevented him from stopping in time. Through an accident reconstruction, the prosecutor's office found Stephens was not exceeding the posted speed limit, said a press release by Prosecutor David Kolbe Wednesday.
Authorities report Stephens' license was suspended, he had no insurance coverage and his car wasn't correctly licensed at the time of the accident.
While the reckless homicide charges have been dropped, Stephens still faces other charges. He was booked into Kosciusko County Jail Monday with a $500 bond charged with driving while suspended.
