WHITLEY COUNTY – At approximately 10:00 a.m. Monday morning, numerous police, fire, and EMS personnel responded to a two vehicle personal injury crash at the intersection of State Road 9 and State Road 14, south of Columbia City.
The crash, which involved a semi-tractor/trailer and a Hyundai Sonata passenger car, critically injured the driver of the car, Kent McCullough, 44, of South Whitley. McCullough had to be extricated by fire rescue crews from the wreckage, and then flown by Parkview Samaritan helicopter from the scene to a PRMC in Fort Wayne, where he was last listed in critical condition.
Master Trooper Joel Lemmon’s preliminary crash investigation revealed that Arthur Namegabe, 27, of Louisville, KY, was operating a 2023 Kenworth semi-tractor/trailer southbound on SR9 approaching the intersection at SR14. Namegabe is alleged to have disregarded the “flashing” red light signal and stop signs before entering the intersection, then crashing broadside into McCullough’s Hyundai that was traveling westbound through the intersection. McCullough was the sole occupant in his vehicle. Namegabe, also a sole occupant, was not injured in the crash. Both drivers were properly restrained in their vehicles.
As required by Indiana law all drivers involved in a crash causing serious bodily injury, cooperating with the investigation and submitted to required chemical testing procedures. The results of those chemical test results are pending.
This crash remains under active investigation. When complete, the finished report will be turned over to the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Officer for a full review and determination as to whether any criminal charges are warranted.
Master Trooper Lemmon was assisted at the scene by several troopers from the Fort Wayne Post, ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division troopers, ISP Crash Reconstruction Investigators, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Columbia City Police Department, Columbia Township Fire, Washington Township Fire, Parkview EMS, Parkview Samaritan, and Smith Brothers Towing service.
