News Release

A motorist was arrested after he struck and injured a motorcyclist in Leesburg late Thursday afternoon.

At 4:48 p.m. Thursday, June 18, emergency personnel responded to a reported two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Main and Van Buren Streets in Leesburg, according to a news release from Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office.

According to police, David Watts, 49, Leesburg, was traveling south on Main Street in a 2011 Chrysler 200. Watts began to turn east onto Van Buren Street and into the path of a northbound Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Joshua Parker, 32, Syracuse. The motorcycle struck the front passenger side corner of the Chrysler.

Parker sustained severe lacerations to his upper thigh and arm and was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend by the Parkview Samaritan Air Ambulance.

Watts was taken into custody at the scene and booked at the Kosciusko County Jail on suspicion of operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.

This crash remains under investigation by the Kosciusko County Fatal Team.