MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ind. — An Indianapolis man is facing several charges in a hit-and-run accident involving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 74 in Montgomery County, Indiana.
Indiana troopers said that John Kearns, 66, of Indianapolis, was driving his 2013 Hyundai Elantra in the eastbound lanes of I-74 at around 7:20 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 7 when he ran off the right side of the road and struck a guardrail at the 34 mile marker of I-74 for unknown reasons. Kearns reportedly walked away from his vehicle, heading eastward, and was found a half mile from the vehicle he ditched.
Investigators found that Kearns had also been involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler near the 4-mile marker of I-74. There were no injuries reported.
Troopers said they observed signs of impairment and located syringes on Kearns. A drug recognition expert administered tests, which Kearns failed. Kearns then submitted to a blood test, which have pending results.
Kearns was not injured in either crash. He was transported to Montgomery County Jail. Kearns is facing charges of possession of a syringe, a level-6 felony; operating a vehicle while intoxicated — endangerment, a class A misdemeanor; driving while suspended prior, a Class A misdemeanor; public intoxication, a class be misdemeanor; leaving the scene of a property damage crash, a class B misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a class C misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.
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