5 injured in high-speed crash on U.S. 33 in Ligonier Saturday morning
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LIGONIER, Ind. (WPTA) - Indiana State Police (ISP) share they are investigating after a high-speed crash on U.S. 33 in Ligonier left five injured on Saturday morning.
According to ISP, the three-vehicle crash happened around 8:30 a.m. on U.S. 33, just south of U.S. 6.
Prior to the crash, ISP says one of the involved vehicles was allegedly in a police pursuit with one of its troopers. The officer says it observed a Mercedes C-Class passenger car traveling eastbound on U.S. 6, west of Ligonier, traveling at over 100mph. When a traffic stop was initiated, a pursuit ensued.
ISP says the pursuit went through the outskirts of Ligonier before heading back toward Ligonier on State Road 5. At this time, the trooper says they terminated the pursuit, due to risk to the general public.
Shortly after the pursuit was terminated, ISP says the Mercedes C-Class passenger car crashed on U.S. 33, just south of U.S. 6. (State Road 5 turns into U.S. 33, at its intersection with U.S. 6)
An ISP crash reconstruction investigator was called to handle the overall investigation.
The preliminary investigation indicates the Mercedes C-Class passenger car was traveling at a high rate of speed south on State Road 5 before disregarding the traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 6, and crashing into the rear of a Nissan Rogue SUV which had just turned south onto U.S. 33 from U.S. 6. The collision sent the Nissan Rogue SUV into a ditch and onto its side.
It is then believed that the Mercedes C-Class passenger car went left of center and sideswiped a northbound Acura passenger car before becoming disabled.
Extreme high-speed, alcohol, and drugs are all suspected as contributing factors.
The driver of the Mercedes C-Class passenger car, identified as Ethan Aza, 23, of Warsaw, IN, was seriously injured in the crash. There were no other passengers in Aza’s vehicle. Aza was transported to a regional hospital in serious condition.
The Nissan Rogue SUV had a driver and a passenger. They both were seriously injured in the crash and were transported to a regional hospital in critical condition.
The Acura passenger car had a driver and a passenger. They both suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
The ISP trooper involved in the police pursuit of the Mercedes C-Class passenger car was one of the first on scene. They suffered minor injuries while rescuing the occupants of the Nissan Rogue SUV and were transported to a local hospital.
U.S. 33, just south of U.S. 6 was closed for nearly 5 hours while the authorities responded to the scene.
This remains an ongoing investigation by the Indiana State Police, with criminal charges expected to be requested once the overall investigation is complete.
This will be turned over to the Noble County Prosecutor for a full review and determination of charges to be filed.
The Indiana State Police were assisted at the scene by the Noble County Sheriff’s Department, Ligonier Police Department, Avilla Police Department, Ligonier Fire Department, Cromwell Fire Department, Parkview EMS, Parkview Samaritan, and Leatherman’s wrecker service.
