Friday, at approximately 2:47 p.m., officer from the Indiana State Police and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department responded to a three-vehicle crash on U.S. 31 and Southway 31 in which seven people were injured.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Todd Trottier revealed that Kent Reed, 62, Galveston, was driving a 2011 Ford Escape northbound, on Old U.S. 31. Reed attempted to cross U.S. 31 and pulled into the path of a north westbound 2010 Mazda 5, driven by Latasha Ashley, 28, Michigan City. The Ford was hit in the passenger’s side, then spun and hit a 2017 Jeep Compass. The Jeep, which was being driven by Andrew Draper, 32, Rochester, was sitting at a stop sign, facing southbound, at the intersection of Southway 31 and U.S. 31. After crashing with the Ford, the Mazda came to rest in a ditch after rolling at least once.
Ashley, and four passengers in her car, were transported to a Fort Wayne hospital with what turned out to be non-life threatening injuries. Jose Gamble, 24, Rochester, a passenger in the Jeep Compass, was also transported to a Fort Wayne hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Reed was transported to a Rochester hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
All occupants in the crash were wearing seat belts, which Trooper Trottier believes helped reduce the severity of injuries sustained in the crash.
This crash is still under investigation, but at this time neither the use of alcohol nor narcotics is suspected as having contributed to the crash.