A single-vehicle crash claimed the life of a rural LaPorte County man Saturday. Shortly after 5:00 a.m., deputies with the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office were called to County Road 400 North near County Road 850 West in Coolspring Township.
When they got there, officers say they found a 2002 Ford Ranger pickup truck that had overturned down a steep embankment on the south side of the road. The driver, Daniel Harrington, 80, was reportedly pinned underneath the truck. Harrington was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers believe he was driving west on 400 North when for an unknown reason, the truck veered right and hit the guard rail, before traveling left of center, hitting the other guard rail, and rolling at least once down the embankment. Harrington was apparently thrown from the truck in the process.
Police don’t think he was wearing a seat belt. They add that it doesn’t appear that drugs or alcohol were involved, but the results of a toxicology screen are still pending.
The Coolspring Fire Department, LaPorte County Coroner’s Office, and LaPorte County EMS assisted the Sheriff’s Office at the scene.
