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Last updated on Monday, December 15, 2014
(SEYMOUR) - A wreck that left a 63-year-old Seymour man dead has led to an 18-year-old involved being arrested on a reckless homicide charge.
Medical records show the Seymour teen, Garrett Lee Fields, had marijuana in his system when he failed to stop at an intersection south of Cortland, according to court records.
The wreck led to the death of Lee S. Ertel, according to the probable cause affidavit signed by Officer Tom Barker with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
The accident happened at the intersection of County Road 400 East and 550 North, just south of Cortland in August.
Ertel died from his injuries at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, according to Coroner Roger Wheeler. Wheeler say Ertel appeared to be suffering from internal bleeding before he was loaded into the helicopter.
18-year-old Fields, also of Seymour, who was driving the second vehicle involved in the wreck, also was flown to Methodist Hospital.
According to a police report, Fields was traveling west on County Road 550 North in a Dodge truck. Ertel was driving a Chevrolet utility pickup south on County Road 400 East.
Ertel was trapped in his vehicle and was freed by Hamilton Township Volunteer Fire Department and Jackson County EMS personnel.
Ertel then was taken to the fire department just north of Cortland, where a landing zone had been set up by firefighters. PHI Stat Flight from North Vernon transported Ertel to Methodist Hospital.
Fields, who police say was out of the vehicle when they arrived, was taken from the scene to the helipad at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour by Jackson County EMS. He was complaining of pelvic pain. LifeLine Helicopter Service transported him to Methodist Hospital.
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