Cell phone distraction possible cause of crash

HUNTINGTON COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Three people went to a hospital after a two-vehicle crash on I-69 in Huntington County around 6 p.m. Sunday.

According to Indiana State Police Trooper Bryan Rumple, Grace Oberhausen, 17, of Fort Wayne, was driving her Toyota Siena van in the left lane of I-69 northbound. She was just north of the 286 mile marker, which is the Markle exit.

The preliminary investigation showed that Oberhausen may have been distracted by her cell phone before the crash. Her van went into the center median and rolled onto its passenger side and slid into the southbound lanes of 69.

Police said as the van was sliding, it was hit by a Chevy Malibu driven by Dale Cecil, 50, of Owensboro, Kentucky. His wife, Lisa Cecil, 46, was a passenger in the Malibu.

Both vehicles rolled onto their tops and came to a rest in the southbound lanes.

Oberhausen complained of head and back pain. Dale Cecil had a hip injury and Lisa Cecil had cuts on her head and arms. They were all transported to a hospital in Fort Wayne. As of 9:30 p.m., all three were listed in fair condition.

A relative of Oberhausen called NewsChannel 15 and said she was not using her cell phone at the time of the crash.

The Huntington County Sheriff Department, Markle Fire Department and both Wells and Huntington County EMS assisted at the scene.

Traffic was backed up for several miles for a few hours, but police said the highway wasn't actually shut down.