(Photos by Deb Patterson)

MILFORD — The driver of a 2006 Ford F150, which went off the road early this morning, Friday, Sept. 11, has been arrested. A passenger in his vehicle was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Ashton R. Wharton, 25, Lura Circle, Milford, was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a BAC equal to or greater than .15, following the 12:21 a.m. accident. The accident was on North Old 15, south of East CR 900N, south of Milford.

Jason D. Huston, 34, Brookside Manor, Goshen, suffered minor bleeding to the face and was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Officer Jon Tyler reported Wharton was northbound on Old SR 15 when a deer entered the roadway. Wharton told police he went off the right side of the road to avoid the deer, but over corrected the vehicle in the grass shoulder. Wharton lost control of his truck that skidded back across the road, then slid off the left side of the road and began to roll numerous times. The truck hit a CenturyLink telephone utility box and came to rest in a corn field.

Police report the truck came apart as it rolled and stopped upright 30-40 yards off the road.

Damage was estimated up to $50,000, to the truck, telephone utility box and corn, owned by Dennis R. Polk, West CR 700N, Leesburg.

Milford Police, Milford Fire Department, Lutheran EMS Kosciusko and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded.