Full Notification

October 2, 2012

This afternoon, Warsaw Police received the arrest warrants for Francisco J. Gonzalez and located him at Shamrock Mobile Home Park, in Warsaw. Mr. Gonzalez was taken into custody without incident and was cooperative with officers. At that time, Mr. Gonzalez would not give a statement to police and requested that he meet with his attorney before giving a statement. Francisco Gonzalez, 24 year of age, of Warsaw, is the driver of a vehicle that struck a horse drawn buggy on Sheldon Street in Warsaw, last Saturday, September 29th ejecting five juvenile Amish boys off the buggy and killing the horse pulling the buggy. Mr. Gonzales was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on the charges of; failure to stop after an accident causing serious bodily injury, a class B felony; and, operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, a class D felony. His bond was set at $2000 cash. Warsaw Police investigators and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office continue to diligently follow-up on this crash investigation and additional charges may be filed once the investigation is complete. Additional information regarding this crash may be forthcoming. A booking photograph is attached.


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ORIGINAL MESSAGE
October 1, 2012

Warsaw Police and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating a weekend accident where an intoxicated driver struck a horse drawn buggy, killing the horse. At approximately 10:52 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, 2012. Emergency responders were called to Shelden Street north of the Warsaw Super Wal-Mart for a passenger car that had struck a buggy and then fled the scene. Emergency personnel located the buggy over the curb on the west side of Shelden Street and observed that the horse had died. Medical and fire personnel tended to five juvenile Amish males that had been ejected from the buggy. The Amish boys all suffered minor injuries and all of their parents signed off any medical treatment. The teens all advised that they were traveling south toward Wal-Mart on Shelden Street when they observed a white car pass them and drive down to the Wal-Mart lot and make a U-turn. The white car then travelled back north when the car swerved over into their lane and struck the horse and buggy head-on. The horse landed on the hood of the car and then fell to the pavement as the car backed up and fled the scene.
Warsaw Police located the vehicle, a white 1993 Chevrolet Lumina near US30 at 200 West where the driver was attempting to restart the heavily damaged car to continue fleeing. The driver had minor bleeding to his head, but was also covered in blood from the horse. He was transported by EMS to Parkview DuPont Hospital in Fort Wayne where a search warrant for alcohol testing was performed. The driver, Francisco J. Gonzalez, 24 years of age, of 704 Southside Drive, Warsaw, tested 0.17% but was released from the hospital before he could be taken into custody.
Only one witness at the scene advised police that they witnessed the white car northbound and hit the horse and buggy head-on. The investigation shows that the vehicle crossed left of center and collided with the horse drawn buggy. None of the buggy occupants, nor any witnesses told police that they thought the collision was intentional. The investigation continues by the Warsaw Police Department and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. WPD investigators request any witnesses to this accident that have not spoken with police are asked to contact the department at 574-372-9515.
Current charges being filed on Francisco J. Gonzalez are; Failure to stop after a vehicle accident, Operating while intoxicated, and Operating a vehicle while per se intoxicated. Additional charges may be sought once the investigation is complete.

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