Published: October 07, 2009 11:39 am         

Man charged in accident injuring Parke County deputy

Driver faces criminal recklessness felony

NEWPORT — A South Bend man has been charged with criminal recklessness in connection with an accident that seriously injured Parke County sheriff’s deputy James Awbrey.

Thomas Crouch was charged with criminal recklessness, a class-D felony, in Vermillion Circuit Court, according to Nina Alexander, Vermillion County prosecutor. A warrant has been issued for Crouch’s arrest.

Awbrey was injured in a traffic accident while on duty Aug. 18. Doctors have given Awbrey less than a 10 percent chance to walk again.

Awbrey is an eight-year veteran of the Parke County Sheriff’s Department. He has served as a merit deputy and a jail officer.

On Aug. 18, he was involved in an on-duty motor vehicle accident in Vermillion County while on an escort detail for an oversized load of heavy equipment.

The accident occurred on Indiana 63 near Hillsdale.

The vehicle carrying the oversized load was pulling off the highway and Awbrey had stopped his police car in the driver’s lane of Indiana 63 to block traffic; emergency lights were on and a flagman also was out to caution drivers.

Crouch, who was driving south, had dropped a drink onto the floorboard of his truck and was trying to pick it up when he struck the rear driver’s side of Awbrey’s vehicle.

Awbrey, who was taken to Methodist Hospital after the accident, went home last week, said Mike Eslinger, Parke County sheriff. “His internal injuries are healing quite nicely, but the prognosis on regaining the use of his legs is not really great — about 10 percent or less,” the sheriff said. “We’re hopeful and keeping him in our thoughts and prayers … He’s working hard in rehabilitation.”

Awbrey’s spinal cord sustained serious injuries, but it was not severed, Eslinger said.

An account has been established in Awbrey’s name at First Financial Bank, and donations can be made at any branch.