At approximately 3:45 a.m. Monday, officers from the Indiana State Police, the Peru Police Department, the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on U.S. 31 at State Road 218 (west junction), in which a Mishawaka, IN man died.
A preliminary crash investigation by Trooper Matthew Moon revealed that Christine Wesner, 26, Wyatt, INwas driving a 2015 Chevrolet ambulance southbound on U.S. 31 approaching a red stoplight at State Road 218 (west junction). The ambulance failed to stop for the red light and hit a 2013 Dodge Dart on the driver’s side. The Dodge was driven by Joseph Farrar, 30, Brownsburg, IN. After the crash impact, the ambulance rolled onto its passenger side. The Dodge had the right away and was in the intersection, on eastbound State Road 218, attempting a northbound turn. Wesner allegedly fell asleep prior to the crash.
There was a five month old patient, the child’s mother, and Emergency Medical Technician Mousa Chaban, 32, Mishawaka, IN in the back of the ambulance. Mousa was partially ejected from the ambulance during the crash. He died from his injuries. Neither the child, nor the mother was injured.
Wesner was not injured in the crash. Farrar was transported, via ambulance, to a Peru hospital with a broken collar bone. Jesse Wilkins, 20, a passenger in the Dodge, was transported by ambulance to a Peru hospital. He suffered a non-life threatening head injury.
This crash is still under investigation. At this time neither the use of alcohol nor narcotics is suspected as having contributed to the crash.
Wesner and Chaban were working for Tri-County Ambulance Service based in Wakarusa, IN. They were transporting the five month old from a South Bend hospital to a hospital in Indianapolis.