On May 20, 2023, at 0137 hours, the Fort Wayne Police Department responded to the intersection of South Anthony Boulevard and Gardendale Avenue in reference to a vehicle accident with injuries.
Fort Wayne Police Department incident report:
Vehicle Crash with Life-Threatening Injuries
Date: May 20, 2023
Time: 0137 hours
Location: South Anthony Boulevard and Gardendale Avenue, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Details/Summary:
On Saturday, 05/20/2023, at approximately 1:37 AM, the City of Fort Wayne Police Department responded to the intersection of South Anthony Blvd. and Gardendale Ave. reference a vehicle crash with injuries. Officers arrived on scene and observed the crash involved a Fort Wayne Fire Department fire truck and a passenger car. Paramedics transported the driver of the passenger car to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. There were four Fort Wayne Firefighters inside the fire truck when the collision occurred. Three of the firefighters involved had varying degrees of complaints of pain. Two of the firefighters were transported by paramedics to a local hospital to seek treatment for minor injuries.
Preliminary information indicates the fire truck was exiting Fire Station 12 responding to an emergency call for service. As the fire truck exited the station, it was struck by the passenger car that was traveling southbound on Anthony Blvd. The firefighters reported the driver of the passenger car was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Anthony Blvd. at a high rate of speed when the collision occurred.
Investigators indicated speed and improper lane usage appear to be contributing factors in the crash on behalf of the driver of the passenger car. South Anthony Blvd. is closed to all traffic between Southdale Avenue and Seddlemeyer Avenue while investigators process the scene. This incident remains under investigation by the City of Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
All information is preliminary and subject to change during the course of the investigation.