Beech Grove, Indiana


Friday, April 23, 2021

Man Arrested in 2019 Fatal Motorcycle Wreck

Angola, IN (April 23, 2021) - A man who allegedly struck and killed a 62-year-old man from Orland in an April 2019 crash has been charged with Level 4 felony operating while intoxicated causing death.

Wesley L. Teller, 32, Bronson, Michigan, was arrested on Thursday after turning himself in to the Steuben County Jail. A warrant seeking Teller’s arrest has been in force for nearly a year out of Steuben Superior Court. Teller bonded out of jail on Thursday. Bail was $10,000.


The incident stems from a crash on April 8, 2019. Larry A. Wateska, Orland, was traveling westbound on S.R. 120 on a 1999 Suzuki motorcycle when a 1997 Dodge pickup truck driven by Teller pulled out from C.R. 300W after coming to a required stop, said court documents attested by Indiana State Police Trooper Carmyn Hottell.

Wateska steered his motorcycle to the north but was unable to completely avoid colliding with the front of the truck. After impact, Wateska, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle and suffered fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by then-Steuben County Coroner Bill Harter. Teller was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.
 

At the time, drugs and alcohol were not considered a factor in the crash. However, toxicology results indicated Teller was under the influence of marijuana and methamphetamine, court records say.

An arrest warrant was filed more than a year later, in June 2020. Court records do not list an attorney for Teller. No other court dates have been set.

Source: The Herald Republican