STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office says that distracted driving may have been a factor in a crash that sent one person to the hospital with critical injuries on Tuesday.
Officers were called to the intersection of SR 127 and CR 400 N at about 10 p.m. They found a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle. The man on that motorcycle had been thrown off. Police think that the driver of the car did not see the bike coming, and the two collided.
The motorcyclist was critically hurt and taken to the hospital.
The following was released:
On 09/16/2025 just after 10:00 pm, Steuben County Sheriff’s deputies along with crews from Steuben County EMS and the Angola Fire Department responded to the intersection of SR 127 and CR 400 N in northern Steuben County for a 911 call of a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. When responding units arrived, they located a white passenger vehicle and a motorcycle near the intersection.
Initial crash scene investigation indicated that a white 2013 Buick Regal driven by 18-year-old Josie Venzke of Fremont, IN was stopped at the posted stop sign on CR 400 N at the intersection of SR 127 facing east. A green 2024 Yamaha YZF690 motorcycle driven by 26-year-old Alexandria Stolte of Coldwater, MI was traveling southbound on SR 127 approaching the intersection of CR 400N.
Witnesses indicated that it appeared that Venzke failed to see the oncoming motorcycle and made a left hand turn onto SR 127 from CR 400 N into the path of the Stolte’s motorcycle. The two vehicles collided at the intersection causing Stolte to be ejected from the motorcycle onto the ground. Stolte was wearing a helmet and was stabilized at the scene before being transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in critical condition by Steuben County EMS. Venzke was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured in the crash.
Due to the severity of the crash, the Steuben County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team (FACT) was activated to assist in the investigation which had SR 127 closed for just over 90 minutes. At this time, alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash however, cell phone usage may have contributed. The weather was clear and the roadway was dry at the time of the crash which remains under investigations by the Sheriff’s Office.
Assisting the Sheriff’s Office at the scene were Angola Fire, Steuben County EMS, Angola Police, and the Indiana State Police.
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