A jury found a Shipshewana man guilty in connection with a 2022 crash in rural Elkhart County that killed a passenger from Goshen, according to The Goshen News[1]. The newspaper reported the verdict on October 15, 2026.
What was reported about the crash and verdict
The crash happened on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at County Road 15 and a cross road in Elkhart County. A passenger from Goshen was killed. Reports from The Elkhart Truth[2] and The Goshen News differ on some details, including the cross road, so that location is not stated here.
The Goshen News reported that the jury found the man guilty of two counts of causing death while operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in his blood, along with marijuana possession. The verdict involved THC and cocaine metabolites, according to the newspaper.
During the trial, the defense argued that the driver of the other vehicle, a 2020 Jeep Wrangler, had been speeding after drinking and that this contributed to the death. The Elkhart Truth reported on the blood-test evidence[3]. 95.3 MNC reported in 2024[4] that the man's car entered the intersection in front of the Jeep.
What accident victims should do next
If you are hurt in a crash, get medical care first and keep every record of your treatment. Request a copy of the crash report, and keep track of any connected criminal case because court records may contain useful information. You can also review how to obtain an Indiana crash report.
Photograph the vehicles and the scene if you can, and write down the names of witnesses. Evidence can disappear quickly, so practical guidance about evidence after an Indiana car accident may help you organize what is available.
Be careful about giving a recorded statement to an insurer before you understand your options. Insurers may aggressively defend disputed claims, especially when more than one driver's conduct is at issue. The firm's guide to recorded statements and medical releases explains common concerns.
Why location matters in Indiana injury claims
This crash happened on County Road 15 in Elkhart County. The location usually determines which county's courts hear the criminal case and any civil case.
A criminal case and a civil injury or wrongful death claim are separate. A conviction does not automatically decide a civil case, and a civil claim does not depend on a conviction. When more than one driver may have contributed to a crash, Indiana's comparative fault statute, Ind. Code 34-51-2-6, allows fault to be divided among them. You can read more about Indiana's comparative-fault rule.
Wrongful death claims are governed by Ind. Code 34-23-1-1 and are generally subject to a two-year deadline. Most injury claims must be filed within two years under Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. A person reviewing a possible claim should not assume a criminal case pauses a civil filing deadline.
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 people hurt by someone else's carelessness on Indiana roads, including crashes involving impaired drivers. Chad Delventhal can explain how criminal proceedings and civil claims relate, examine disputed fault, and identify deadlines that may apply.
No outcome can be promised in any case. If you want to discuss the facts and your options, Delventhal Law Office offers a free case evaluation.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation or related proceedings may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
