LAGRANGE CO. – Troopers with the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Post are investigating a serious personal injury crash that occurred yesterday afternoon involving a pickup truck and a Lagrange County Sherriff’s Department vehicle at the intersection of SR120 and County Road 100 East, LaGrange County.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. Saturday, LaGrange County dispatch notified the Indiana State Police of a serious crash involving a blue 1994 GMC pickup and a Sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle on SR120 at 100E. Preliminary investigation by troopers indicates that a LaGrange County deputy was traveling eastbound on SR120 with his emergency lights and siren activated responding to an unrelated call. A blue 1994 GMC pickup truck traveling northbound on CR100E is alleged to have failed to yield to the emergency vehicle and pulled into the path of the deputy’s vehicle. The deputy’s vehicle struck the GMC causing the GMC to overturn and come to rest on its roof in the south ditch. The deputy’s vehicle came to rest upright in the north ditch. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage.
The driver of the GMC, Jamie Espinal-Albor, 33, of Sturgis, Michigan had to be extricated from the wreckage by the Howe Fire Department. He was then flown from the scene to Parkview Regional Hospital with serious injuries.
The LCSD deputy and his K9 partner were not injured, however the deputy was transported to Parkview hospital in LaGrange to be checked out. As required by Indiana law, both drivers provided a blood sample for chemical testing. Results of those tests are pending.
Along with the standard crash investigation, the Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction investigators also responded to assist in the investigation.
This is an ongoing investigation. At this time, there is no further information to release.
The Indiana State Police was assisted at the scene by the Howe Fire Department, Lagrange Police Department, Shipshewana Police Department, Parkview EMS, Lakeland Towing, and Grates Towing.
