WARSAW — A Rolling Prairie man was airlifted to an area hospital on Friday night, Feb. 1, after the pickup truck he was driving slammed into the trailer of a semi tractor on US 30, west of Warsaw.

Charles C. Gross, 39, East CR 350N, Rolling Prairie, told police he was driving eastbound on US 30 and proceeded to drive his 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 through the intersection with Silveus Crossing when he took his eyes off the road to adjust the defrost for his windshield. Gross told police that when he looked back forward, his vehicle was approaching the semi, driven by Ward A. Roth, North Beverly Ave., Youngstown, OH, at too high a speed to stop.

A witness told police that it appeared that Gross’s vehicle did not slow down before striking the back of the semi. Gross was transported by Samaritan helicopter to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne and Roth was transported by ambulance to Kosciusko Community Hospital to be treated for a minor head injury he suffered when his head hit the driver’s side window after the collision.

Damages are estimated at up to $25,000.