By David Slone
Times-Union
MENTONE — Indiana State Police are investigating a police pursuit that ended in a single-vehicle fatal crash early Sunday morning at the request of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office and Mentone Police Department.
According to a news release from ISP, a preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Todd Trottier revealed that on Sunday, just after midnight, the Mentone town marshal was patrolling Ind. 25 near Princeton Street in Mentone.
The marshal attempted to stop a 2010 Chevrolet Impala for speeding; however, the Impala failed to stop and fled south on Ind. 25.
The pursuit continued southbound on Ind. 25 from Kosciusko County into Fulton County. Shortly after crossing Ind. 110, the Impala veered off the east side of the road for an unknown reason and hit a tree.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the driver, a juvenile, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Notification to the family of the deceased has been made, the release said.
A juvenile passenger was transported to an area hospital via a medical helicopter for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Names of both juveniles have not been released.
Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team members responded to assist with the investigation.
Trottier was assisted by troopers from the Peru Post, other members of the ISP Crash Reconstruction Team, Indiana Conservation Officers, Akron Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Mentone Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, KCSO, Fulton County Coroner’s Office, Parkview EMS, Samaritan Air, Mentone Fire Department, Rochester Fire Department and Tony’s Citywide Towing.
The information above is preliminary and the investigation is ongoing.
