Fort Wayne, IN : Deadly van crash nets DWI charges on Tuesday, October, 17th 2017

A Huntington man was charged Tuesday with drunken driving in a crash that killed two people and injured nine others in northeast Allen County this month.

Todd W. James, 51, was charged with two counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing the deaths of Harvey M. Schwartz, 21, and Louis E. Schwartz, 17, both of South Whitley.

James was driving a 2010 white Ford Econoline van with 13 passengers about 2 a.m. Oct. 1. He crossed left of center on Indiana 1/Leo Road north of Stuckey Lane and east of Amstutz Road in Leo-Cedarville.

The van traveled through a yard and hit a tree.

Along with the two deaths, nine people under the age of 18 in the van had various injuries, according to court documents.

Officers responding to the crash said they could smell a moderate to strong odor of alcohol on James. One officer reported James' eyes were watery and bloodshot.

A blood test at a hospital showed James had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 percent, court documents said.

A warrant has been issued for James' arrest.

Source :
Deadly van crash nets DWI charges