Delventhal Law Office — Personal Injury Attorneys

NEWSDEARBORN COUNTYOCTOBER 10, 2026

Update: Felony OWI Charges Filed in Fatal June Crash on US 52 in West Harrison

By Chad E. DelventhalUpdated October 10, 20263 min read

An Ohio woman faces felony charges arising from a June 14, 2026 crash on Harrison Brookville Road (US 52) in West Harrison that killed two people and seriously injured a third. Eagle Country 99.3 reported the charges[1] on October 8, 2026. The outlet is the only source identified in the available reporting, and the investigation remains ongoing.

What Eagle Country reported

According to Eagle Country, Kelis Manuel, 23, of Fairfield, Ohio, was driving a Honda Civic that collided with a semi while passing another vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit. Two passengers, Kimora Manuel, 21, and Le'Marea Holmes, 22, died. A third passenger, 20, was seriously injured.

Eagle Country reported that the Indiana State Police investigation led to two counts of operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or more causing death and two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, all Level 4 felonies. The reported charges also include OWI causing serious bodily injury as a Level 5 felony, OWI endangerment, and operating with a controlled substance.

Eagle Country did not state whether Manuel had been arrested. Every charge is an accusation, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Indiana State Police facility representing the agency that investigated the fatal US 52 crash in Dearborn County.

What families and survivors can do next

Medical care, funeral arrangements, and insurance calls can arrive at the same time after a fatal crash. You can begin by requesting the Indiana State Police crash report, keeping the case number, and organizing medical records, bills, and funeral expenses. The firm's guide to obtaining an Indiana crash report explains the general records process.

The criminal court file may also become an important record. A criminal prosecution and a civil claim are separate, so civil deadlines continue to run while the criminal case proceeds. Families can review general information about Indiana wrongful death claims, while people hurt in a commercial-vehicle collision can learn how a truck accident claim may involve additional evidence and insurance issues.

Public-record and court documents relevant to the OWI charges filed after the West Harrison crash.

Why location and insurance coverage matter

The crash happened on US 52 in West Harrison, Dearborn County, and Indiana State Police investigated. A civil case would ordinarily be filed in Dearborn County or where a defendant lives. When a driver lives outside Indiana, additional questions about jurisdiction and filing location can arise.

Indiana's wrongful death statutes, Ind. Code 34-23-1-1 and 34-23-1-2, govern claims after a death. The general two-year deadline for injury claims appears in Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. Waiting for the criminal case to end does not stop that deadline.

Indiana's minimum liability limits under Ind. Code 9-25-4-5 are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury. Those limits may be inadequate when one crash involves multiple deaths or injuries. Depending on the policy, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Ind. Code 27-7-5-2 may apply to passengers or family members. You can read more about uninsured and underinsured motorist claims.

Indiana's modified comparative fault rule, Ind. Code 34-51-2-6, governs how responsibility is divided. An injured person whose fault is greater than 50 percent cannot recover under that rule. Otherwise, the recovery is reduced by that person's percentage of fault. Criminal charges can be important evidence, but they do not automatically decide every issue in a civil case.

Indiana county courthouse setting representing the criminal and civil proceedings that may follow a fatal Dearborn County crash.

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 helps Indiana families and crash survivors understand wrongful death and injury claims, available insurance coverage, evidence preservation, and filing deadlines. Insurance companies may aggressively defend fault and coverage questions, especially when several claims may compete for limited policy proceeds.

If you want to discuss the facts privately, you can request a free case evaluation. No outcome can be promised in any case.

This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.

Sources

  1. Eagle Country 99.3 reported the charges (eaglecountryonline.com) ↩

Working with Delventhal Law

Common questions

How fees work, deadlines that matter, and what to expect when you call.

  1. How much does it cost to hire Delventhal Law Office?

    There is no up-front cost. Personal-injury cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis: you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is free and carries no obligation. Call (260) 484-6655 to talk through your situation.

  2. How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Indiana?

    Indiana generally gives you two years from the date of injury to file a personal-injury lawsuit (Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4). Shorter deadlines can apply when a government entity is involved or in some workers' compensation matters. The sooner you call, the more options you have.

  3. What if I'm partly at fault for the accident?

    Indiana follows a modified comparative-fault rule (Indiana Code § 34-51-2-6). You can still recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50% at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Even if you think you share blame, call us — the insurance company's first assignment of fault is often wrong.

  4. Do I have to come into the office to meet with you?

    No. We meet clients by phone, video call, at their home, or at the hospital. The Delventhal Law Office is in downtown Fort Wayne, but most of our clients live across Indiana and we come to you when that's easier.

  5. How quickly should I call after an accident?

    As soon as you can. Evidence disappears fast — skid marks fade, surveillance video is overwritten, witnesses move on. Insurance adjusters also start calling within days. Talking to us before you give a recorded statement protects your claim.

  6. What kinds of cases does Delventhal Law handle?

    We represent injured plaintiffs in car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents; workers' compensation and on-the-job injuries; wrongful death; slip-and-fall and premises liability; birth injuries; burn injuries; and other personal-injury claims across Indiana.

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