LaPorte County, IN (Mar 8, 2026) – A violent head-on collision on Sunday evening left a 47-year-old Wanatah man with life-altering injuries in LaPorte County. The crash occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m. on State Road 2, west of County Road 100 South.
According to investigators, a 21-year-old Walkerton woman was traveling eastbound in a Buick when she crossed the center line and struck an oncoming Toyota head-on.
The force of the impact required the Toyota driver to be airlifted to a regional hospital for treatment of “serious bodily injuries.”
The driver of the Buick was also hospitalized before being booked into the LaPorte County Jail. She now faces multiple criminal charges, including Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), Causing Serious Bodily Injury, OWI Endangerment, and OWI. She remains held on a $15,005 cash-only bond.
OWI Liability and Serious Injury Recovery
Under Indiana Code IC 35-31.5-2-292, “serious bodily injury” includes those creating a substantial risk of death or causing permanent disfigurement. In OWI cases involving these injuries, victims may be eligible to pursue punitive damages (IC 34-51-3-4) designed to punish gross negligence and deter similar behavior. Furthermore, Indiana’s Dram Shop Act allows victims to hold establishments liable if they overserved an obviously intoxicated driver. Identifying all liability layers is essential to covering the astronomical costs of air-medivac and long-term recovery.
Speak With an Indiana Personal Injury Lawyer
If an impaired driver has caused your injuries on a LaPorte County roadway, you deserve an advocate who understands the specific nuances of OWI liability in Indiana. At Langer & Langer, we provide free, confidential case evaluations to help you hold every responsible party accountable. Our Indiana personal injury attorneys handle all litigation costs upfront and only collect a fee if we successfully win compensation for you. Call 219-245-5881 today to protect your path to recovery.

