Two teens were taken to the hospital after a single-car accident Friday night allegedly involving a controlled substance. Javier Rodriguez, 18, Benton Harbor, Mich., is charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance causing a severe bodily injury. He was arrested Friday night and has since bonded out. Victoria Castro, 16, North James Street, Milford, and Natalia Diaz, 15, North Jefferson Street, Cromwell, were passengers in the car driven by Rodriguez. At about 9:30 p.m. at the intersection of CRs 1400N and 750E, Syracuse, Rodriguez was traveling east on CR1400N when Castro placed an ice cube down his shirt. Rodriguez attempted to get the cube out and ran off the road and hit a tree, according to a report from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. The car spun and collided with a second tree. Castro hit her head on the second tree. She was taken to Lutheran Hospital with severe facial fractures. Diaz also was taken to the hospital with an injury to her foot and knee. As of this morning, neither girl was listed in the patient directory at Lutheran. Rodriguez was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital for a urine and drug test. Rodriguez has never had a valid driver’s license, according to the report. Law enforcement has not yet released what drugs they believe Rodriguez was on. The crash is still under investigation by the Kosciusko County Fatal Alcohol Team.
