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Brandon J. Robinson, 18, of 1815 Deer Trail, was booked into Kosciusko County Jail late Friday night after the fatal accident and charged with three counts of driving while intoxicated causing death, a Class C felony. He is being held without bond.
More charges may be filed against Robinson and his three passengers after police meet with Kosciusko County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Byron Tinkey this morning.
Two people in the car were pronounced dead at the scene Friday night at the intersection of Zimmer and Crystal Lake roads, Warsaw.
The driver, Aaron P. Hatfield, 17, of Calhoun Street, Claypool, was pronounced dead of internal injuries by Kosciusko County Coroner Larry Ladd. A backseat passenger, Tyler Bartley, 12, Clay Street, Claypool, also died in the car at the scene.
The front-seat passenger, Heather Florey, 16, Calhoun Street, Claypool, died later at Kosciusko Community Hospital of internal injuries.
The two other passengers were airlifted from KCH to Parkview Memorial Hospital, Fort Wayne.
Tiffany Bartley, 13, Clay Street, Claypool, is listed in serious condition from internal chest injuries. An infant, Monica Hatfield, was found still restrained in an infant seat in the car's backseat and is also listed in serious condition.
According to witnesses, Robinson's pickup was headed north on Zimmer Road when it ran through the stop sign at the intersection of Crystal Lake Road. Hatfield was driving his car west on Crystal Lake Road when he started to turn south onto Zimmer Road.
The front of the pickup struck the car on the driver's side, killing Hatfield and Tyler who was seated behind him. The collision pushed the car into a stop sign and more than 100 feet before it came to rest in a nearby yard.
Two passengers in Robinson's pickup were arrested and charged with possession/consumption of alcohol by a minor. Donald Eugene Ditton, 19, of 935 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, was booked into jail at 9:38 p.m. and held on $175 bond. He was given a breath test at the accident scene by police and reportedly registered .02 percent.
The front seat passenger, Phillip Eugene Gagnon, 20, of 1120 E. Northwinds Drive, Warsaw, reportedly ran from the accident scene but was found at his home later that night. He was booked into jail at 1:17 a.m. Saturday.
The other passenger in the pickup, Kathy M. Guetschow, 16, Winona Avenue, Warsaw, was given a breath test but did not register any alcohol.
When Gagnon was taken into custody, he reportedly told police that the four were riding in Robinson's pickup coming from Palestine and drinking beer. Police reported Gagnon said he was scared and ran because they were allegedly drinking.
Robinson allegedly told police at the scene that he ran the stop sign and hit the car. He also reportedly said he drank three beers before getting in the pickup.
Ditton and Guetschow both reportedly told police Robinson drove the pickup through the stop sign, striking the car.
Police reported they found a brown paper bag under the rear seat of the pickup containing three or four pipes that allegedly smelled like marijuana. A small bag reportedly found by police in the pickup's glove box contained a green, seedy substance that police said appeared to be marijuana.
A cold beer can was also reportedly found under the seat of the pickup, and police reported the interior of the truck and a wet spot on the carpet smelled like alcohol.
Police reported that a blood test on Robinson at KCH revealed his blood alcohol level at 11:20 p.m. was .099 percent, one-thousandths under the legal limit. Robinson was tested after being treated for an arm injury at KCH.
Warsaw Police received a radio call of the accident at 8:28 p.m. from a Kosciusko County reserve deputy who was driving by the scene.
Warsaw Fire Department also responded to the scene and used the jaws of life to cut the roof from Hatfield's car to remove the passengers.
