LEESBURG – The driver who was pronounced dead at the scene of a fiery crash early Monday morning has been identified by coroners. Richard E. Prescott, 84, Leesburg, was identified Tuesday night by Forensic Odontologist Dr. Craig Nelson at the Northeast Forensic Center in Fort Wayne, according to a press release from Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. Kosciusko County Coroner Anthony Ciriello advised that positive identification had been made by the use of dental comparisons. Ciriello also stated that during the performed autopsy, Prescott was determined to have died from blunt force injuries that he sustained during the impact of the crash. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies and emergency personnel responded at 4:09 a.m. Monday to Armstrong Road, east of CR 200 East, and found a single-vehicle SUV that was fully engulfed in flames. KCSD stated that after the Leesburg/Plain Township Fire Department extinguished the fire, there was a driver found deceased inside of the silver 2004 Chevy Suburban. Kosciusko County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team members stated that a preliminarily investigation into the crash determined that the vehicle had been travelling eastbound on Armstrong Road when, for an unknown reason, it left the south side of the roadway. The vehicle then struck a tree head-on and caught fire.
