A trucker from Texas was arrested in Jackson County last Tuesday afternoon after crashing his semitrailer on Interstate 65 north of Uniontown and fleeing the scene, leaving behind an injured passenger.
Jose Casares, 27, of Mission, Texas, was intoxicated at the time of the crash and faces charges of operating while intoxicated and causing injury to another, according to Indiana State Police spokesman Tommy Walker.
Casares’ passenger, Ramon Buentello, 28, of Alamo, Texas, was in the sleeper berth at the time of the crash and was transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour by Sgt. Brian Wilson. He was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The events that led to the crash began early Tuesday afternoon when Casares fell asleep at the wheel driving north on I-65 at the 43-mile-marker, Walker said.
Police said when Caseres awoke, he slammed his foot down on the brakes causing the truck to leave the road and turn on its passenger side. Casares kicked out the windshield to get out of the truck and then ran into a cornfield and wooded area to the east of the crash.
Police located Casares at Frontage Road and County Road 100S, taking him into custody without incident, Walker said.
The semi was hauling fresh produce from Florida bound for Kroger stores in Indianapolis. Undamaged food from the overturned semi was distributed to area food pantries and homeless shelters.
According to Vaughn Isenhower, a spokesperson for the Crothersville Food Pantry, over 3,000 pounds of peppers, green beans, squash and okra will be distributed during the food pantry’s monthly distribution this Saturday, Nov. 15, at 8 a.m.
“We usually don’t have fresh produce available so this will be an extra special benefit to our clients just before Thanksgiving,” said Isenhower.
