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Police: Unlicensed drunk driver hits motorist who had exited his truck to alert police

DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) — Police arrested a man involved in a crash on I-69 in DeKalb County Monday evening on multiple charges after he allegedly struck a motorist who had pulled over to tell a sheriff’s deputy about a possible drunk driver.

The incident took place just before 11 p.m. after police received reports of a red Monte Carlo all over the road on southbound I-69 near the 333 mile marker according to a press release issued by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.  Deputies then created a staging area near the 329 mile marker to look for the car.

A pickup truck driver spotted a deputy stopped on the shoulder in the staging area and pulled over to tell the officer about a possible drunk driver. Just then the Monte Carlo struck the rear of the pickup and then hit the driver who had gotten out of his truck.

The Monte Carlo continued down the interstate and officers with the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Auburn Police Department attempted to stop the car, which they were able to do after a short while.

They arrested Luis Armando Abundes Moreno, 21, of Fort Wayne on preliminary charges of OWI, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious injuries, OWI resulting in serious injuries, OWI endangering and operating a vehicle without ever having a license.

The driver of the pickup, Kenneth Lee Priddy, 56, of Garrett was taken to a hospital where as of Tuesday afternoon he was listed in fair condition.

24-Hour News 8’s sister station WANE talked to Priddy’s neighbors who said they were shocked to hear he was the man hit, but not surprised he was trying to help.

“That’s just how Kenny is. He likes to help people and it doesn’t matter if it’s the police or whoever. He helps everybody,” Cheryl Brown, Priddy’s neighbor, said. “I hope everything goes okay for him. I can’t wait for him to come home.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Moreno has not been formally charged.

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