Following a November 13, 2016, collision occurring on Interstate 69 in Greene County, Indiana, a 19-year-old Jasper man claimed that he had fallen asleep while driving and rear-ended a disabled vehicle on the shoulder of the road due to previously colliding with a deer. However, after further investigation and affidavits of numerous witnesses, the Jasper man has since been charged with three counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death and three counts of Reckless Homicide. These charges stem from witnesses stating that the Jasper man had been in on the campus of Indiana University for a football game and had been drinking before the game and after as late as 1:00 a.m.  Witnesses also attested that the Jasper man intended to drive back to Jasper from Bloomington at 3:00 a.m. as he claimed to not be tired and could make the drive. Despite this claim by the Jasper man, the collision with the stopped vehicle occurred around 3:20 a.m. and after observing the Jasper man and a victim in the parked vehicle both crawl from their respective vehicles, the Indiana State Trooper dispatched to the scene observed the Jasper man’s inebriated condition after which a BAC test indicated that his blood alcohol content level was approximately twice the .08 legal limit. As a result of the collision, 3 of 4 individuals from Newburgh, Indiana, who were passengers in the stopped vehicles died, while the Jasper man has since turned himself in and is being held on $60,000.00 bond.

Drowsy and Impaired driving remain a significant source of motor vehicle collisions and crashes and motorists have a legal duty to ensure that they are safely able to operate a vehicle before hitting the road. Although the Jasper man faces criminal charges in part to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a driver who falls asleep due to fatigue while behind the wheel might also be subject to criminal penalties if negligent driving while fatigued results in death. As the holiday season and ensuing parties and extended travels take place, please drive responsibly, and if you or a loved one are seriously injured due to the negligence of another, please contact our team of experienced legal professionals by calling 888-578-3100 or visiting our website IndyInjured.com for a free case evaluation and consultation.

Source:

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/new-details-emerge-in-rinehart-crash-investigation