Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Maher is investigating a serious ATV crash that occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of CR 250E and CR 1050N

.Justin Desomer, 43, of Syracuse had been deer hunting and had failed to return home, which concerned his family. His wife attempted to contact him by cell phone several times with no success.

Desomer then made contact with his wife by cell phone and told her he run off the road into a ditch and flipped his ATV and that he was badly injured. He had just crossed CR 1050N when his ATV left the roadway on the west side of CR 250E.

Desomer’s family immediately called 911 and Desomer’s wife drove to the scene of the accident. She and family members transported him to the Kosciusko Community Hospital themselves as they arrived at the scene before police, fire and paramedics.

Desomer was determined to have sustained serious internal injuries and possibly several broken bones and was subsequently airlifted to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne by Lutheran Air Ambulance.

Desomer was not wearing a helmet or any protective equipment. Indiana Conservation Officers strongly encourage ATV operators to always wear a protective helmet and clothing when operating an ATV.

Alcohol and drugs are not considered a contributing factor to the accident at this time according to officer Maher.