Cody J. Ormsbee, 28, was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle eastbound when he was attempting to turn north onto C.R. 125E when he was sideswiped by a 2018 Dodge Journey driven by Ericka J. Pillitiere, 32, Fremont, who also was eastbound. Pillitiere told police she never saw Ormsbee.
The impact ejected Ormsbee off the motorcycle and he landed in the westbound lane of S.R. 120, where he was struck by a 2014 Hyundai Elantra operated by Paul Federspiel, 37, Fort Wayne, severing Ormsbee’s right leg.
Even though Ormsbee’s leg was severed at the knee, he was able to get up and hobble off the road toward another vehicle that had been eastbound, following Pillitiere. The driver of that vehicle, an unidentified nurse, applied a tourniquet to Ormsbee’s leg to stop the bleeding.
Ormsbee was transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne via Samaritan Helicopter where he was listed in stable condition Wednesday morning. The helicopter used the nearby grounds of Fremont Community Schools as its landing site.
Pillitiere and Federspiel were wearing seat belts and were uninjured in the crash. Ormsbee was not wearing a helmet. Alcohol is not considered to be a factor. The highway was shut down for approximately 2 1/2 hours while the crash was investigated.
Assisting sheriff’s personnel at the scene were officials from Fremont Police Department, Steuben County Emergency Medical Service, Fremont Fire-Rescue, Angola Police Department, Samaritan Helicopter, Steuben County Communications and the Indiana Department of transportation.
The crash remains under investigation.
Source: WANE