UPDATE: Man charged in Indiana crash

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April 27, 2007

Staff Report The Commercial-News Fri Apr 27, 2007, 10:20 AM CDT

CAYUGA, Ind. — A Danville man stands accused in a hit-and-run death along Indiana Route 63 early Thursday morning.

Indiana State Police and Vermillion County Sheriff’s investigators handling the case arrested Charles J. Dukes, 24, of Danville on Thursday, charging him with leaving the scene of an accident. He is being held without bond pending a hearing.

Deputies responded just minutes after midnight Thursday to an accident on Route 63 at County Road 600N, where a blue Dodge Stratus struck the rear of a Plymouth minivan.

Witnesses said the minivan rolled at least three times after the collision.

Eighteen-year-old Toni Pritchard of Cayuga, a passenger in the minivan, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Stratus fled the scene on foot. Dukes has a list of 25 traffic charges in Vermilion County, Ill., between 2001 and 2004. He was convicted of misdemeanor counts of fleeing/eluding police in 2001 and 2004 and convicted of driving with a suspended license five times.

A charge of reckless driving against him in 2004 was dropped.

In addition to Dukes’ arrest, Indiana law enforcement took two other people into custody in connection with the crash. Gary W. Dukes, 51, and Karen J. Dukes, 55, both of Danville, were arrested and charged with false informing in Indiana.

According to Vermilion County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Department reports, Kathy Dukes reported her vehicle stolen at 12:47 a.m. Thursday.

Investigator Kirk Miller said this morning the department is investigating the report. Miller also said investigators went to the Dukes’ residence Thursday night and assisted Indiana law enforcement in a search.

The remaining three people in the minivan at the time of the collision remain in the hospital. Originally taken to West Central Community Hospital, driver Phillip Sapp, 41, Mary Sapp, 48, and 20-year-old Andrew Worden were transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

All three were listed in critical condition Thursday.

A fourth accident victim, Lillian Loisi of Cayuga was treated and released Thursday from West Central Community Hospital. She was injured when her Chevrolet Malibu collided with the Dukes’ abandoned vehicle following the first accident.

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