Warsaw Motorcyclist Injured In Monday AccidentA 71-year-old man was critically injured when he was ejected from his motorcycle in a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon.
Stephen L. Yeazel, 71, of Wexford Place, Warsaw, was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne due to his injuries, according to a Warsaw Police Department accident report. He suffered severe arterial bleeding to the head, the report states. As of Tuesday morning, he was in critical condition and unstable, according to a spokeswoman from Lutheran Hospital.
The accident occurred at about 5:57 p.m. Monday at the intersection of North Ind. 15 and East Main Street, Warsaw.
According to the report, Aswin S. Krishnan, 25, of Collins Drive, Warsaw, said he was driving his black 2018 Nissan Rogue north on North Ind. 15 near the intersection with East Main Street in Warsaw. As he approached the intersection, the traffic light abruptly turned red, he said. He applied his brakes to stop but was unable. Krishnan said the front of his Nissan hit the left side of Yeazel’s green 1996 Harley-Davidson XL1 motorcycle, which was in the intersection. Krishnan said he was not on his phone.
Yeazel was unconscious at the scene and unable to speak with the investigating officer, the report states.
A passenger in the Nissan, Suman Radhakrishna, 25, Chamberlin Drive, Warsaw, said he was riding in the front seat of Krishnan’s Nissan. The passenger stated that as the Nissan entered the intersection, the light was red and Krishnan attempted to stop the vehicle. Radhakrishna said Krishnan was not on his phone and that the front of the Nissan hit the left side of the motorcycle.
Witness 1 stated she was sitting at the traffic light on East Main Street, facing east at the North Ind. 15 intersection. The witness said her in-car camera recorded the incident. She said the traffic signal for the northbound traffic turned red and the east/west traffic signals turned green. The witness said approximately 6 seconds passed after the light changed, the motorcycle entered the intersection because his light was green. The witness said, at that time, the Nissan entered the intersection and hit the motorcycle. The witness said Krishnan was holding a cell phone in his left hand and was still holding it after the crash occurred, according to the report.
A second witness stated he was facing east on East Main Street near the North Ind. 15 intersection. He said the traffic signal turned green for the east/west traffic and the motorcycle entered the intersection. The second witness stated that approximately 6 seconds after the light changed, the Nissan entered the intersection, hitting the motorcycle’s left side.
A third witness, who was stopped at the traffic light facing south on North Ind. 15 near the East Main Street intersection, stated her traffic signal was red for the north/south traffic and she came to a stop. She said she was stopped “for a long time” when the motorcycle entered the intersection. She said the Nissan disregarded the traffic signal and struck the motorcycle in the intersection.
A fourth witness said he was in the right turn lane, facing west on East Main Street near the North Ind. 15 intersection. He was talking to Yeazel at the red light before the east/west traffic signals turned green. The witness stated that, after their light turned green, his wife saw the Nissan traveling into the intersection. The witness said it was too late to alert Yeazel and the front of the Nissan struck the left side of the motorcycle.
The Fatal Accident Crash Team was contacted in regard to the accident.
The investigating officer, in his report, noted he saw the Nissan had a large crack and indentation to the right-side windshield. The Nissan also had moderate damage to the right headlight area. The motorcycle had moderate damage to the left side and was leaking fuel on the road.
Krishnan was cited for disregarding a traffic control device. He was taken to the hospital for a consensual blood draw where he was released. Yeazel was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne due to his injuries.
Damage to both vehicles, which were towed away, was estimated at $25,000 to $50,000, according to the WPD accident report.
