News Release

NORTH MANCHESTER – Seven people were hurt in an accident in Wabash County early Saturday night, Jan. 16.

Officers from several departments responded to the accident shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday, at the intersection of Wabash County Roads 800N and 300E, according to an Indiana State Police report issued Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 19.

The preliminary crash investigation by Indiana State Trooper Dustin Rutledge revealed that Johnathan Eberly, 17, Silver Lake, was driving a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban westbound on CR 800N, approaching a stop sign at CR 300E. The Suburban failed to come to a complete stop at the stop sign and drove into the path of a southbound 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. The Silverado, driven by Scotty Wilcox, 57, Urbana, hit the Suburban in the passenger’s side. The crash impact caused the Suburban to roll once coming to rest on its wheels.  

Wilcox was transported to a Fort Wayne hospital with life-threatening injuries. He is in stable condition. Eberly was transported to a Fort Wayne with non-life-threatening injuries. He has been treated and released.

Traceson Gearhart, 16, rural Manchester, a passenger in the Suburban, was partially ejected. He suffered life-threatening injuries and had to be revived at the crash scene by first responders. He was transported to a Fort Wayne hospital. At last check, he was in stable condition.

Hannah Eberly, 15, Silver Lake, also a passenger in the Suburban, was ejected during the crash. She was transported to a Fort Wayne hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She has been treated and released. Three additional passengers in the Suburban, Liam York, 16, Manchester, Michael Ortiz, 15, Servia, and Lane Stetzel, 15, rural Manchester, were all treated and released from the hospital. Stetzel and Ortiz were checked at a Wabash hospital while York was checked at a Fort Wayne hospital. All the injured were transported by ambulance.

This is an ongoing investigation. At this time neither the use of alcohol nor narcotics is suspected as having contributed to the crash.

Also responding to the crash were Wabash County Sheriff’s Department and Manchester Police Department

State Police were assisted at the crash scene by the Chester Fire Department, the Wabash Fire Department, Parkview EMS, the Manchester Police Department, the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, Master Trooper Bart Stouffer, Senior Trooper A.J. Coffee, Trooper Andrew Baldwin and Trooper Doug Weaver.