GNAW BONE — Traffic was backed up on State Road 46 East the afternoon of Oct. 2 as police and emergency personnel worked two separate accidents near Brown Hill Road.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Jackson reported seeing two cars in the middle of 46 East with scattered debris, along with a motorcycle in a ditch on the north side of the road.
A medic on the scene told Jackson that the first crash involved the motorcycle and the second crash involved the other two vehicles.
Three witnesses told Jackson that the motorcycle — driven by Joseph H. Lenowsky, 62, of Indianapolis — was westbound when a red, eastbound Hummer turned onto Brown Hill Road in front of Lenowsky. This caused Lenowsky to lose control of his bike while trying to stop and he crashed into the ditch.
Witnesses told Jackson that the Hummer stopped on Brown Hill Road after it made the turn. One witness said he pulled right next to the Hummer to get out and help Lenowsky. When the witness did this, the Hummer drove north on Brown Hill Road, the police report said.
Another witness followed the Hummer and reported seeing it turn into a paved driveway. Multiple witnesses reported seeing the Hummer stop and take off again, the report states.
Within a few minutes of the motorcycle crash, traffic slowed, and a car that was heading east rear-ended another car traveling in the same direction. Details on injuries or the drivers involved in that crash were not in the report.
Lenowsky initially did not want to be taken to the hospital and EMS personnel on the scene said he did not have any broken bones. But he later asked for transport because he began feeling worse.
Lenowsky was not wearing a helmet, according to the report.
Jackson was able to find the driver of the Hummer the next day using witness information. Linda Collingsworth of Brown Hill Road told Jackson she saw the motorcycle lose control after she turned on Brown Hill Road. She said she was going to go back, but she couldn’t get off the road in time. When she did get off the road, she said people were already helping Lenowsky and she saw him get up on his elbows, the report states.
