ALLEN COUNTY — Ten children and their mother were sent to the hospital after a suspected drunk driver crashed into their pickup truck late Monday near Fort Wayne, tearing it in half in the process, police say.
Indiana state troopers found the pickup "literally split in two pieces" as they responded about 7:15 p.m. to the intersection of U.S. 27 and Hoagland Road, which is south of Fort Wayne, according to a news release from Indiana State Police.
Meanwhile, a Ford with the second driver was spotted with heavy front-end damage in a side ditch.
The children's ages ranged from 6 months to 15 years old. All ten of them and their mother had their seatbelts on, according to the release.
Police said some of the children suffered minor injuries, but all were taken to the hospital, as well as their mother, a 41-year-old Auburn woman, and the other driver, a 65-year-old Hoagland man.
"... Proper seatbelt restraints coupled with properly deployed airbag technology in the van were the keys to serious injury prevention," the release states.
Police say the Ford's driver may have been intoxicated and was "less than cooperative" with troopers at the crash scene.
"... The portion of the investigation related to alcohol impairment will be turned over to the Allen County Prosecutor for review of submitted evidence and determination of possible charges, which would be filed at a later date," the release states.
As of Tuesday, online court records showed formal charged hadn't been filed.
-
Teens accused of breaking into Indianapolis vape shop, lead police on chase
Police say three teenagers, including two 14-year-olds, were arrested after breaking into a southside Indianapolis vape shop and leading police on a dangerous high-speed chase early Monday morning.
Trash transition in Indianapolis brings delays, leaves old bins behind
At the start of 2026, trash collection in Indianapolis switched to a new vendor, Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS).
Tamika Catchings rejoins Pacers Sports & Entertainment as ambassador
Pacers Sports & Entertainment announced Tuesday that Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings will rejoin the organization in a newly created role as an ambassador.
Patients file lawsuits in Marion County over GLP-1 side effects
In the past few months, court records show dozens of lawsuits filed by patients in Marion County against Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the Danish maker of Ozempic and Wegovy.
