Sgt. Clay Layne’s vehicle involved in the first accident. (Photo by Warsaw Police Department)

By LT. KIP SHUTER
Warsaw Police Department Public Information Officer; City of Warsaw Traffic Safety Commissioner; Training, Fleet, Grant, Quartermaster Administrator

Yesterday evening, just before 9 p.m., two police vehicles from Warsaw Police Department were involved in separate personal injury crashes only yards apart during last evenings strong storm.

At approximately 8:55 p.m. Sgt. Clay Layne was on normal patrol and driving through the intersection of Center Street at Eastlake Drive, when another vehicle ran the red light and collided with the driver’s side of Layne’s squad, resulting in personal injury.

Other officers responded to the area, including Patrol Officer Ross Minear. Minear was responding from the area of K-Mart, and while traveling west on Frontage Road, his vehicle hydroplaned, losing control, striking a high tension power pole, and then rolling over in front of Indiana Tech. Minear was trapped in his squad and was eventually extricated.

Patrol Officer Ross Minear’s vehicle

Damage to the pole knocked out power to the east end of Warsaw for most of the night as NIPSCO crews worked to restore power.

Both Layne and Minear were transported to Lutheran Hospital and treated for their injuries and released.

Indiana State Police worked Layne’s crash and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department worked Minear’s crash.

Also assisting was Warsaw Wayne Fire Territory, Multi-Township EMS, Winona Lake Police, North Webster Police, and Grace College Security.

A Warsaw Police Department vehicle rolled over after colliding into a power line on Eastlake Drive.
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)