SILVER LAKE – A Silver Lake man was transported by helicopter to Fort Wayne Monday afternoon after crashing his car into a bridge guardrail and concrete post. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Dept. deputies and emergency personnel responded Monday at 2:17 p.m. to CR 100W, near the intersection of CR 1300S. According to a KCSD release, emergency responders arrived and located the 1996 Buick Skylark that had struck the concrete post. The driver, identified as Franklin P. Rice, 30, Silver Lake, was found unconscious. Life-Med EMS, North Manchester, immediately requested the Samaritan helicopter to respond to the scene. Rice was airlifted to Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne, in very serious condition with abdominal and pelvic injuries. Preliminary investigations from deputies at the scene determined that Rice was northbound on CR 100W when a tire on his vehicle failed and blew out. Rice's vehicle purportedly went off the roadway, striking a bridge guardrail then onto the shoulder area before impacting the concrete post. The crash is still under investigation by the KCSD.
