Chesterton Tribune

 

 

OWI charge filed in Friday's fiery Indiana 49 rear-end accident

Back To Front Page

 

The Liberty Township motorist who drove his Toyota Scion under the rear end of a box truck on Ind. 49 early Friday morning was driving drunk, Chesterton Police said.

According to police, at 1:04 a.m. Eric A. Gunia, 26, of 87 E. Long Lake Road, was northbound on Ind. 49 when, just north of Gateway Blvd., he rear-ended the box truck, wedging his Scion beneath it, in a collision which caused his car’s engine compartment to ignite.

Gunia succeeded in exiting his Scion uninjured, as did the trucker, Ernest E. Miller, 51, of Gary, who on impact pulled his 2003 Freightliner onto the shoulder, pulling the Scion with him, police said.

Chesterton firefighters responded to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze with minimal damage to Miller’s truck,

Police said that Gunia--who admitted having consumed “four high alcohol-content beverages prior to driving”--showed signs of intoxication, failed several field sobriety tests, and subsequently registered a blood alcohol content of .209 percent on a certified chemical test. Motorists in Indiana are considered legally intoxicated when they score a B.A.C. of .08 percent or higher.

Gunia--who was issued a citation for speed too fast to avoid a collision and following too closely--was transported to Porter County Jail.

 

 

Posted 5/16/2016

 
 
 
 

 

 

Search This Site:

Custom Search