A view of Monday’s crash was provided by Indiana State Police.

News Release

SOUTH BEND – The operator of an ultralight that crashed in St. Joseph County Monday, Dec. 13, has been charged with operating while intoxicated, according to Indiana State Police.

At about 4:40 p.m., Monday, Trooper Scott Hipsher and officers with the St. Joseph County Police Department responded to reports of a single-engine plane that had crashed in the area of Grant Road and Wild Heather Drive southwest of South Bend.

When officers arrived, they found that an ultralight that resembled a small single-engine airplane had crashed at the entrance of Heather Ridge subdivision.  The operator of the ultralight, Joseph Krol, 61 of Mill Creek, was not injured in the crash but was showing signs of alcohol impairment.

Krol then failed a field sobriety test at the scene of the crash. 

After being medically cleared and submitting to a certified chemical test at a local hospital, Krol was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated- Endangerment and Operating While Intoxicated. Krol was then transported to the St. Joseph County Jail.