February 17, 2011 – Indianapolis, IN – One person is dead and another in critical condition after a Feb. 10 crash on the city’s east side. Police initially charged Bradley J. Johnson, 31, of Indianapolis with driving drunk and causing a fatal crash, but have since dropped those charges.
According to an article from IndyStar, paramedics at the scene of the fatal Indianapolis crash-which resulted in the death of 49-year old John W. Eckels-could smell alcohol emanating from Johnson’s 2000 black Jeep, prompting a Fatal Alcohol Crash Team investigation.
Police charged Johnson but dropped those charges because his own injuries precluded him from appearing before a judge. He is expected to make a recovery and will likely face the charges once he is able to appear before the court.
Additionally, police are still waiting for the test results of Johnson’s blood test performed after the fatal crash. Indianapolis Metro Police Department reports indicate that Johnson struck Eckels’ black Chevrolet Caprice at the intersection of Washington Street and Edmonson Avenue at approximately 3:25 a.m.
Police responding to the scene of the fatal Indianapolis crash found Johnson’s Jeep on its side and Eckels’ vehicle in the west bound lane on Washington. His car was facing an easterly direction. Both drivers were found in their vehicles. After the accident, Johson was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
Drunken driving accounts for a sizable number of traffic accidents in Indiana every year. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 210 of the state’s 693 fatal accidents in 2009 were attributed to alcohol impaired driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.