Akron man was arrested after allegedly fleeing the scene after his pickup hit a buggy, injuring two people in the buggy.
Kevin Alan Swihart, 30, of 602 E. Water St., Akron, is facing a charge of leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, pending formal charging, according to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 8:15 p.m. Friday on a preliminary bond of $5,250.
The buggy operator, Wayne Hochstetler, 45, Milford, was treated and released at the scene. A juvenile female in the buggy was injured and airlifted from the scene to Parkview Regional Medical Center, where she remained in stable condition, according to the release. Her name and other information were not released.
The collision occurred at 4:26 p.m. Friday in the 9600 block of North Ind. 19.
Emergency personnel were called to the scene for a crash involving a southbound 2010 Nissan Titan, driven by Swihart, and the buggy, driven by Hochstetler. The news release states that witnesses advised dispatchers that the Titan fled from the scene after hitting the buggy.
Deputies determined the buggy was traveling south along the shoulder of the road when it was hit from behind by the Titan. The force of the impact caused “catastrophic” damage to the buggy, the release stated.
Concerned individuals subsequently reported witnessing erratic operation of the Titan in southern Kosciusko County. Law enforcement units immediately converged on the area. An Akron Police Department officer located the pickup near Athens in Fulton County and Swihart was taken into custody without further incident.
Responding agencies included Kosciusko and Fulton County Sheriff’s Offices; Akron, Claypool and Mentone Police Departments; Nappanee Fire and EMS; and Parkview Samaritan Air Ambulance.
