The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a motorcycle crash that injured the driver, 39-year-old Cedar Lake resident William J. Hoggard, early Thursday morning in rural New Durham Township.
Police said that at 3:17 a.m. deputies were dispatched to the 7800 west block of Ind. 2, following a report of an unresponsive male lying along the roadway. Deputy Austin Howell arrived at the scene, located the individual and, soon thereafter, discovered a crash scene nearby.
The crash investigation determined that a blue 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle had been traveling east on Ind. 2 and, when it failed to negotiate the curve, left the eastbound lane, drove off the roadway and rolled over in the lawn of a nearby residence.
The individual who had been initially located was later identified as Hoggard; it was also determined that he was the driver and he did not have a passenger. He sustained a lower body injury and as a result was airlifted to a regional area hospital for treatment.
Alcohol was determined to be a contributing factor in the crash, police said; toxicology tests results are pending.
Assisting in the incident were Sgt. James D. Arnold, Deputy Dan Kesling, Lutheran Air, La Porte County EMS, and Scipio and Coolspring Township Volunteer Fire Departments.
Arrests and criminal charges are mere accusations. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.