(SEYMOUR) – A Georgia man was arrested on two felony counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and reckless homicide.
The charges stem from a fatal accident that led to the death of 41-year-old Daniel Cosma. On July 9, 2020, Cosma of North Royalton, Ohio, died at the scene after the two-vehicle crash in the southbound lane at the 53-mile marker in Jackson County.
Indiana State Police arrested 32-year-old Douglas Nicholl, of Decatur Georgia. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on Thursday at 11:29 p.m. and is being held without bond.
According to an ISP Reconstruction Team report, Cosma was driving south on I-65, in a 2001 Volvo truck pulling a trailer, just north of Seymour. Due to a mechanical issue, he stopped his semi around 9:30 a.m. in the right lane of I-65. No shoulder is available in the area, forcing Cosma to stop in the right lane, ISP said.
Nicholl, also driving a Volvo truck pulling a trailer, struck Cosma’s trailer while Cosma was working on the semi. The impact caused Cosma’s truck to hit him. The impact caused Cosma to suffer fatal injuries.
Investigators say Nicholl was driving too fast.
Nicholl was not injured.
The southbound lanes of I-65 were closed for nearly four hours while police investigated the accident and cleaned up the wreckage.
The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Seymour Fire Department, Redding Township Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, Jackson County Coroner’s Office, and 31 Wrecker Service.
