CLARK COUNTY, Ind. — An Ohio man is behind bars in Indiana after a crash with an 18-wheeler that allegedly resulted from a road rage incident and a subsequent felony charge,
The alleged road rage incident was reported on Wednesday, according to an Indiana State Police media release, led to a felony arrest for operating while intoxicated and other charges.
Authorities say at approximately 3:15 p.m., a witness reported a hit-and-run crash near the 22-mile marker on southbound Interstate 65 in Clark County. The witness stated that a red Dodge Dakota pickup truck, displaying no license plate, pulled in front of a semi-tractor trailer and abruptly slowed, causing a rear-end collision. The truck then fled the scene, weaving through traffic and passing vehicles on the interstate’s shoulder.
Near the 16.5-mile marker, observed the Dodge Dakota and activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop for the missing license plate and to investigate the reported crash. The driver, identified as Nathaniel Richard Long, 42, of Lima, Ohio, initially slowed as if to stop in the middle of the roadway, but then accelerated, failing to yield and initiating a pursuit.
Long exited Interstate 65 at Exit 16 onto Memphis Blue Lick Road, turned west, and entered the drive-thru lane of an Arby’s at a Pilot truck stop. That is where ISP took Long into custody.
Long was booked into the Clark County Jail on the following charges:
Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), Prior – Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
OWI Endangerment – A Misdemeanor
Reckless Driving – A Misdemeanor
Leaving the Scene of an Accident – B Misdemeanor
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
