LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with the LaPorte County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team, are investigating a fatal accident that occurred early this (Thursday) morning.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m., officers arrived at the scene in the 3000 block of U.S. Highway 35 north of LaPorte and found a vehicle in a wooded area, approximately 50 feet off the roadway. One occupant, 29-year-old Thomas Drnek II was found nearby with a head injury and another occupant, 26-year-old Jacob Anderson of LaPorte, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Drnek II was transported to IU Health LaPorte Hospital for treatment.
The preliminary investigation found that the vehicle had been traveling south on U.S. 35 when it left the roadway to the right and struck a number of trees prior to coming to rest in the wooded area.
Due to the nature of the crash, the LaPorte County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team has taken over the investigation and reconstruction of the accident Criminal charges are pending.
