STEUBEN CO. – The Indiana State Police is currently investigating a single-vehicle motorcycle crash that happened late last night on West Orland Road near Crooked Lake, Steuben County, claiming the life of a Fremont man.
Trooper Dan Burkey’s preliminary investigation stated that shortly before 9:30 p.m. last night, Tyler Channing Szapkiw, 28, of Fremont, was operating a 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle in the area of the 2200 block of West Orland Road at a high rate of speed. Szapkiw failed to negotiate a curve in the road, ran off the roadway, and struck a utility pole. The force of the impact snapped the utility pole in half.
Szapkiw was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Arriving officers found him to be unconscious and suffering from a serious head injury. Steuben County EMS personnel arrived on the scene and provided initial medical assistance. Szapkiw was flown from the scene by Lutheran Air to a hospital in Fort Wayne, where he later succumbed to his fatal injuries.
This remains an active investigation by the Indiana State Police, for which there is no further information to release at this time.
Trooper Burkey was assisted at the scene by Angola Police Department, Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, Steuben Fire & EMS personnel, Steuben County Highway Department, Nipsco, and Countryside Towing.
