What happened near Garrett
Two people were hurt in a two vehicle right angle crash at County Road 68 and County Road 327 near Garrett in DeKalb County on the afternoon of Thursday, September 10, 2026. The crash was reported at 2:39 p.m. KPC Media's The Star reported the crash details[1], and WOWO carried a consistent account.
The Star reported that Michael Roehm, 58, of Garrett, was driving a 2007 Chrysler Sebring. He stopped at the stop sign on County Road 68, then pulled into the path of a southbound 2017 Ford Fusion on County Road 327. The Sebring sustained heavy driver's side damage, and the Fusion came to rest in a field. Roehm was not injured.
The adult driver of the Fusion had chest pain and a nosebleed, according to The Star. A minor passenger had a possible broken arm. Both occupants were hospitalized, and the hospital was not named.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office investigated. The LaOtto Fire Department and Parkview EMS responded, while the Indiana State Police, Auburn Police Department, and Garrett Police Department assisted. No citation has been reported against Roehm, no impairment was reported for either driver, and the investigation is ongoing.
What injured people should do next
The absence of a reported ticket does not decide civil fault. A citation concerns a traffic case, while an injury claim is evaluated under a different standard. The investigating agency's crash report is useful evidence, but it is not a final determination of civil responsibility. You can learn more about obtaining an Indiana crash report and how insurers review fault.
If you were hurt, follow through with an appropriate medical evaluation and keep the resulting records. The reported chest pain, nosebleed, and possible broken arm should be documented accurately without guessing about a diagnosis that has not been confirmed.
Vehicle evidence also matters. Photographs, repair or total-loss records, and available electronic vehicle data can help explain the force and angle of a collision. Because vehicles may be repaired, sold, or disposed of, timely preservation requests can be important. This guide explains evidence that may support an Indiana car accident claim.
A child's claim requires separate attention. A parent or guardian ordinarily brings the claim on the child's behalf, and a settlement of a minor's claim generally requires court approval before it becomes binding. When an adult and child are injured in the same vehicle, their claims remain separate even if the same insurance policy must address both.
Why the DeKalb County location matters
This crash occurred at a rural, stop controlled intersection in DeKalb County. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office is the investigating agency, and an Indiana civil case is ordinarily filed in a county connected to the crash or the parties. Local records and physical evidence may therefore be important to any later claim.
Most Indiana personal injury claims must be filed within two years under Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. Based on the date stated in the report, an adult's deadline would ordinarily fall on or about September 10, 2028. A different rule may apply to the injured minor because Ind. Code 34-11-6-1 tolls the limitations period during a legal disability, including minority. A longer filing period does not stop photographs, video, vehicle data, or witness memories from being lost.
Indiana's Comparative Fault Act, Ind. Code 34-51-2-6, assigns percentages of responsibility. An injured person whose fault is greater than 50 percent recovers nothing. If that person's fault is 50 percent or less, the recovery is reduced by the assigned percentage. A stop sign and the right of way are important facts, but the full evidence must be reviewed before civil fault is determined. More information is available in this explanation of fault in Indiana intersection collisions.
Indiana's minimum auto liability limits are $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage under Ind. Code 9-25-4-5. When two people are injured, the per-accident limit may have to cover both claims. Indiana insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Ind. Code 27-7-5-2, and whether that coverage applies depends on the policy and available liability insurance.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a Fort Wayne personal injury law firm founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm serves communities across northeast Indiana and assists people hurt by carelessness on Indiana roads.
For a family with an injured adult and child, Chad Delventhal can obtain and review the crash report, preserve available evidence, examine the liability and underinsured motorist policies, and explain the court approval process for a minor's settlement. Insurance companies may aggressively defend fault and the value of a claim, so careful documentation matters. You may consult a Fort Wayne intersection accident attorney or request a free case evaluation.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
