Kosciusko County Sheriff's Deputies and emergency personnel responded yesterday to the location of County Road 100 West, near the intersection of County Road 1300 South. Emergency responders arrived and located a 1996 Buick Skylark that had struck concrete post. The driver, identified as 30 year old Franklin P. Rice of Silver Lake was initially located unconscious. Life-Med EMS immediately requested the Samaritan helicopter to respond to the scene. Rice was airlifted to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, in very serious condition with internal injuries. Preliminary investigations from deputies at the scene has determined that Rice was northbound on County Road 100 West 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 Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.
