HANCOCK COUNTY—The Greenfield man arrested Wednesday after his vehicle hit and killed a bicyclist tested positive for illegal drugs, following the accident.
76-year-old Rodger Wellenreiter of Greenfield, a retired Eli Lilly scientist, was riding his bike in the country northwest of Greenfield when a Dodge Caravan came up from behind and hit the bike. Wellenreiter was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a probable cause document from the Hancock County Prosecutor, 40-year-old Robert Terry was driving
the minivan on County Road 300 North. He stayed at the accident scene and was tested by a member of the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team, Detective Matt Fox.
Terry told Fox he hit the bike while looking down at the dashboard to see what his speed was. Terry said he was traveling 50 miles-per-hour. "While speaking with Terry, I observed his speech was slurred, he was lethargic and had poor manual dexterity," according to Detective Foxx, who also said Terry's eyes were bloodshot and glossy.
The probable cause document said Terry, when asked, denied using illegal narcotics. But when taken to Hancock Regional Hospital, Terry tested positive for THC and methamphetamine.
Authorities also found that Terry was driving on a suspended license. He faces three charges: Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated, Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle With a Controlled Substance, and Driving while Suspended.
