Thursday, October 27th, 2011
Man indicted for injury accident
By Margie Wuebker
A 21-year-old Lewisville man reportedly had cocaine and heroin in his system when he caused an Oct. 3 traffic accident that critically injured a member of the Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers.
Kameron J. McCarty was indicted last week by a Mercer County grand jury on a single count of vehicular assault, a fourth-degree felony. The charge alleges he recklessly operated a 2007 Saturn that resulted in injuries to 56-year-old Marvin Collins of Fort Recovery.
Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said results of blood tests taken after the crash show McCarty had 7,398 nanograms of cocaine and 1,879 nanograms of heroin in his system. The cutoff levels for impaired driving are 150 nanograms and 10 nanograms, respectively.
McCarty, who remains incarcerated on a $250,000 cash bond, made an initial appearance Tuesday afternoon in Mercer County Common Pleas Court. He is expected to enter a plea during a Nov. 9 arraignment hearing.
The accident occurred as Collins and fellow MCERV member Jim Kittle were directing traffic while standing on U.S. 127 near the intersection of state Route 274 at Carthagena. The roadway had been closed due to an earlier accident at Clover Four Road to the north.
McCarty, who was driving northbound, reportedly failed to heed flashing amber lights and orange reflective cones. His car struck Collins' pickup truck and pushed it into Kittle's truck. Collins was struck by the vehicles; Kittle was unhurt.
Ashley Farmer Gates of Celina, McCarty's 20-year-old passenger, was taken into custody on an outstanding theft warrant from Celina Police. She reportedly pulled a hypodermic needle from her bra and handed it to a female deputy at the scene, claiming McCarty had given it to her to hide.
Collins was rushed by ambulance to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater and later transferred by emergency helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. He underwent several surgeries before being released Oct. 14 and now receives therapy at The Gardens of Celina.
"Marvin is doing better," his wife Joan told The Daily Standard. "He still has a way to go."
If convicted, McCarty faces up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
