Boone County man runs after suspected drunk driver, jumps into car, grabs key from ignition after hit-and-run
BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — A resident in the town of Advance ran after a suspected drunk driver, jumped into his car through a window and grabbed his keys from the ignition after he plowed into a group of pedestrians, according to authorities.
David Nickle was cleaning with his wife Tuesday around 6:30 p.m. when he heard “all the commotion,” he told News 8.
He ran out of his house on Wall Street and spotted a red Chevy Cavalier driving away from the scene of the accident, near the intersection of Maple Street, he said.
“I’ve got to stop him,” Nickle recalled thinking. “He just hit a lady with two kids in her stroller. The lady next to her is screaming and hollering. I’m not going to let anyone get hurt.”
He ran through a neighbor’s yard, caught up to the car, jumped in through a window, grabbed the keys from the ignition and remained on scene until officers arrived, he said.
Authorities identified the pedestrians as Melody Thomas, 47, the wife of Advance Town Marshal Brad Thomas; her daughter Jenna Thomas, 23; Jenna’s child and Melody’s two other grandchildren.
Jenna sustained an elbow injury and minor cuts. Melody sustained a head injury and multiple cuts. Her 8-month-old grandson suffered facial injuries. All three were listed in stable condition Tuesday night.
“The two toddlers in strollers were not struck but transported for precautionary reasons,” the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday night in a press release. “All five pedestrians were taken to Methodist Hospital via ambulance.”
The driver, Kenneth Long, was arrested and preliminarily charged with one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and three counts of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
“Preliminary blood and urine results show Long may have been driving his vehicle with marijuana in his system combined with a blood alcohol content of over three times the legal limit,” the sheriff’s office said.
Attorneys representing Long could not be reached for comment.
“I would do it again,” Nickle said of his daring citizen’s arrest. “An accident is an accident. You’ve got to pull over.”
