Police suspect that driver killed in crash was drunk

[Palehorse]

Lawrence -- A Lawrence man was fatally injured in a head-on traffic accident early Sunday, according to police reports.

Investigators reported that the man who died appeared to be intoxicated when he stopped at a convenience store near the crash site shortly before the collision.

Ryan L. McHie, 26, 10000 block of Birch Tree Circle, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to a printed report from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The crash was reported about 4:30 a.m. at Pendleton Pike and Oaklandon Road. The police report said McHie was driving a Toyota Scion east on Pendleton Pike, and the car crossed the center line and collided with a westbound Chevrolet Suburban.

McHie was thrown from the Toyota on impact, the report said.

A report from the Lawrence Police Department said a clerk concerned that a customer was intoxicated had called officers to the BP Connect convenience store at 11019 Pendleton Pike on Sunday about one minute before the crash was reported. The Lawrence report says the customer went into the BP to buy alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated when he left and drove east on Pendleton Pike.

Lawrence police said the suspected intoxicated customer was the man killed in the crash.

The driver of the Suburban was taken to Methodist Hospital. A representative did not return a phone call Sunday seeking an update on his condition.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20101122/LOCAL1802/11220370/Police-suspect-driver-killed-in-crash-was-drunk?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|IndyStar.com|s

This is tragic in so many ways, not the least of which is the fact my wife and I knew this young man because he worked for her. . .