At approximately 9:43 a.m. Monday, officers from the Indiana State Police and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on State Road 218 at Foreman Drive, in which a Peru man died.
The preliminary crash investigation by Indiana State Police Sergeant Rick Brown revealed that Robert Elliott III, 45, Peru, IN was driving a 2008 Yamaha Zuma moped northbound on Foreman Drive, approaching a stop sign at State Road 218. The moped failed to stop and pulled into the path of a westbound 2001 Dodge 1500 pickup truck. The truck struck the moped ejecting Elliott. The Dodge was driven by Mark Hoeppner, 51, Peru, IN.
Elliott, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hoeppner was not injured.
Further investigation by Sergeant Brown, revealed that Hoeppner allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration limit (BAC) of .09. That is over the .08 BAC limit in which Indiana law considers a driver intoxicated. Hoeppner was incarcerated in Miami County Jail to face a felony charge for operating a vehicle causing death.
This is an ongoing investigation.