Staff Report

Kevin M. Kelley

SYRACUSE — An Indianapolis man was recently arrested after a boating accident resulting in a 20-year-old man’s death.

Kevin M. Kelley, 63, Indianapolis, is charged with reckless homicide, a level 5 felony.

On Aug. 8, 2020, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Syracuse Police Department and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office investigated the death of Nathaniel C. Mroz, 20, Fortville.

On that day, officers were dispatched to a residence on Lake Wawasee which was owned and occupied by Kelley. While Syracuse EMS attended to Mroz, officers interviewed witnesses.

According to court documents, Kelley was operating a boat and pulling two tubes with three riders on Lake Wawasee. During this activity, it was discovered that all of the tubers had fallen into the water at about the same time.

Kelley admitted to officers that while he was retrieving the tubers, he failed to notice that Mroz was directly in the path of his boat. Kelley ran over Mroz with the boat.

One of the tubers said they saw Mroz waving his arms as a safety measure for boaters to be aware of his presence in the water just prior to being struck by Kelley’s boat.

Resuscitation efforts of Mroz were unsuccessful. Mroz was pronounced dead at the scene by the Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office.

The investigation continued for several days after the accident by DNR conservation officers and an evidence technician with the Indiana State Police. Evidence collected indicated that while retrieving the fallen tubers, Kelley had operated his boat at an unreasonable rate of speed.

Court documents also state Kelley did not exercise adequate supervision of the tubers while in the water, carelessly and willfully disregarding the tubers’ safety, which resulted in Mroz’s death.

Kelley was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Nov. 23, with a $10,250 surety and cash bond.