Last Updated on December 21, 2020 by Indiana State Police
SOURCE: News release from Indiana State Police
Logansport – Thursday, a criminal trial in the Cass Superior Court resulted in Brady Riley, 20, Burnettsville, IN being convicted of criminal recklessness. Cass Circuit Court Judge Stephen Kitts found Riley guilty and sentenced him to 180 days in the Cass County Jail.
The trial was the result of a personal injury crash that occurred on September 21, 2019.
Evidence from the crash investigation by Indiana State Police Trooper Chris Miller and Indiana State Police Sergeant Rick Brown showed that Riley was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo southbound on Cass County Road 825 West approaching Cass County Road 250 North. Riley was driving at a high rate of speed when the Chevrolet left the roadway, traveled 335 feet, and stopped after hitting several trees. The Chevrolet sustained extensive damage. Riley was pinned in the driver’s seat. He had to be extricated. Hornback, a passenger in the Chevrolet, was ejected from the car. His left leg was severed below the knee.
Brown, supervisor of the Indiana State Police Peru Post Crash Reconstruction Team, utilized physical evidence to determine that the Chevrolet was traveling at more than 80 miles per hour when it crashed.
There are seven troopers that are trained as crash reconstructionists working from the Indiana State Police Peru Post. They completed six weeks of training to be certified and have ongoing training to keep their certifications. Becoming a crash reconstructionist is voluntary and done in addition to a trooper’s daily responsibilities.
Original Release Issued on September 22, 2019:
Two Injured in Cass County Crash
(Trooper Applies Tourniquet to Severed Leg)
Royal Center – Yesterday at approximately 6:49 a.m., officers from the Indiana State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Cass County Road 825 West near Cass County Road 250 North, in which two people were severely injured.
The preliminary crash investigation by Trooper Chris Miller revealed that Brady Riley, 19, Burnettsville, IN was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo southbound on County Road 825 West near County Road 250 North. For an undetermined reason, the Chevrolet traveled off the west side of the road, into a wooded area, and hit multiple tees.
Riley had to be extricated from the vehicle by firefighters. He was flown, via medical helicopter, to a Ft. Wayne hospital with possible broken bones and internal injuries. James Hornback, 21, Royal Center, IN, a passenger in the Chevrolet, was ejected from the vehicle. His left leg was severed below the knee. Prior to the arrival of medics, Hornback’s friends a tightened a belt around his leg to stem the flow of blood. When Trooper Miller arrived, he applied a tourniquet to the leg to stop blood loss from the injury. This possibly saved Hornback’s life. Hornback was flown, via medical helicopter, to a Ft Wayne hospital.
Neither Riley nor Hornback was wearing a seat belt. Trooper Miller believes their injuries would have been reduced had they been properly restrained.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Trooper Miller was assisted at the scene by ISP Sergeant Rick Brown and the Royal Center Fire Department.
All Indiana State Police officers are issued tourniquets as part of their duty gear. Officers train annually on applying them properly.