Fillmore man airlifted following Sunday motorcycle crash

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

HERITAGE LAKE — A Fillmore man was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital after he crashed his motorcycle on Heritage Drive Sunday evening.

Putnam County Deputy Tanner Brown was dispatched to Heritage Drive near Gettysburg Drive at 8:40 p.m.

The wreck was discovered by James Carrell, Coatesville, who told Deputy Brown that he was traveling past when he noticed the 2006 Harley-Davidson laying off on the side of the road.

He said he then saw the driver laying in the woods on top of a tree limb. Carrell said the man was unconscious but breathing. At that point he called 911.

Carrell showed Brown the spot where he found the motorcyclist, which was about 25 feet from the motorcycle.

Brown arrived to find the rider being loaded into an ambulance. He followed the ambulance over to an open spot for AirEvac to land. While in the ambulance, the man woke up and gave his name as Justin Fortner, age 42.

He said he didn’t remember driving or anything about the accident.

Fortner was then loaded into an AirEvac helicopter and transported to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis.

As Deputy Tanner Brown continued to investigate the scene, Deputy Anthony Brown went to Fortner’s home to inform his family what had happened.

Tanner Brown found that skid marks left on the road and continuing into the grass indicated that Fortner was approaching the left-hand turn too fast to make the corner.

Damage was estimated at $1,000-$2,500. The motorcycle was towed.

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