Distracted driver leads to crash in New Paris

NEW PARIS, Ind. -- The Elkhart Sheriff's Office responded to a crash in the 68000 block of U.S. 33 around 4:53 p.m. on Monday where a distracted driver rear-ended a driver who was stopped with their turning signal on, waiting for traffic to clear to turn into a driveway. 

According to authorities, 17-year-old Zachary Fry of Millersburg was driving west on U.S. 33 in a 2014 Dodge Charger, northwest of the intersection at C.R 33, when he dropped a soft drink onto the driver's side floorboard. 

He reached down to pick it up, but by the time he had his eyes back on the road, it was too late to avoid crashing into the 2016 Nissan Altima that was attempting to turn. 

"When [Fry] noticed [it was too late to stop], they were following [the Nissan] too closely to stop and avoid a crash," the ECSO said. "[The Dodge] then rear ended [the Nissan] which was still stopped in the roadway with its left turn signal on waiting to turn into [a driveway] causing damage to the front end of [the Dodge] and the rear end of [the Nissan]."

The driver of the Nissan was a 32-year-old Decatur man who was treated on scene by emergency medical services for a head injury before being transported to Parkview Medical Center for further treatment.