by Kevin Lilly
Police have arrested a Logansport man suspected of fleeing the scene of an accident last weekend that resulted in a motorcycle rider being airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital.
Via phone from an out-of-town conference on Thursday morning, Cass Superior Court II Judge Rick Maughmer found probable cause for the arrest of 28-year-old Jason A. Gellinger on charges of class C felony criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, class D felony operating while intoxicated and class D felony leaving the scene of a serious personal-injury accident.
Cass County Prosecutor Kevin Enyeart read the investigative report of Deputy David Wells into the record as the judge listened over speaker phone prior to making his ruling.
Police served the warrant on Gellinger at about 1 p.m. Thursday.
According to Wells’ report, Gellinger pulled into the path of a 2008 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by 24-year-old Jared W. Koons of Royal Center on U.S. 35 at 400N on Saturday morning. Gellinger allegedly drove off before police arrived.
Police say a tip from his long-time friend led investigators to Gellinger, who reportedly admitted to his involvement in the accident.
The report stated that Gellinger was “extremely intoxicated” when he showed up at his friend’s residence asking to hide his crashed 1987 Chevrolet Blazer behind the garage because he had just been involved in an accident.
Reports went out to local media asking for anyone with information on the crash, which resulted in a severel injury to Koons’ leg, to call police.
Due to the alleged danger to the community, Enyeart asked Maughmer to set a a $50,000 cash-only bond on Gellinger, who was out on bond in another case where he faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and public intoxication for an arrest in August.
The judge set the bond at $25,000 cash/$50,000 surety.
Koons, who has pending motorcycle learner’s permit violations from the accident, remains hospitalized in fair condition at Parkview Hospital. Gellinger remains in the Cass County Jail.
• Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at (574) 732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com
