La Porte man arrested for hitting 2-year-old while drunk driving, fleeing scene

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- A two-year-old is recovering today after being struck by a Dodge Journey on March 22 in La Porte County. 

Authorities say Eric Levine was at his friend's house on Grove Street having the friend fix the alternator in the Dodge. When the car was fixed, Levine attempted to leave and struck the two-year-old as he was pulling out.

"Seeing that the juvenile had been struck by a car, [the parents] started to render aid," court documents state. "In that time frame, Eric had backed out of the driveway and left in an unknown direction."

Authorities say Levine's license was suspended at the time. 

That same day, Levine was picked up by police and questioned. 

He told authorities he "drove over to [his friend's] residence and the two worked on the vehicle together. After approximately 30 minutes, [his friend] informed Eric that the vehicle was fixed and to back it out of the driveway. As instructed, Eric did this and, while doing this, Eric ran over the 2-year-old juvenile male in the driveway."

Levine also claims that his friend immediately told him to leave after he hit the child, and that is why he fled the scene. 

"I requested to know if he, at any time, told Eric to leave his property after striking the juvenile, to which he stated he did not," the reporting officer stated. "[The friend] informed me that while him and [the child's mother] were tending to their son, Eric had left without informing them."

Levine was taken to Northwest Health LaPorte for a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) investigation.

"During the DRE evaluation, I observed Eric to Sway back and forth, have delayed reaction, slow and deliberate movements while performing the tests, and droopy eyelids," the reporting officer said.

"Eric also showed lack of convergence and displayed a pulse of 100 BPM 2 out of 3 times throughout the test, showing above the normal range."

Levine was arrested on charges of:

• Leaving the Scene of an Accident-offense committed after committing OWI causing
• Causing Serious Bodily Injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated
• Driving while suspended operation of vehicle results in bodily injury

He is currently being held on a $25,000 bond.