Child critical

An 8-year-old Portland girl is hospitalized following a collision Thursday on the county’s west side.

Adalynn Patrick was in critical condition Friday afternoon at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis after suffering severe head trauma in a collision about 4:15 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Indiana 1 and Indiana 26.

The drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident — Tabatha L. Fleming of Portland and Jeremiah J. Landers of Dunkirk — were both transported to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne following the collision.

Landers, 37, was driving his 2008 Chevrolet Silverado north on Indiana 1 and approaching the intersection with Indiana 26. He told police he was looking at a vehicle that was located off the east side of the highway and didn’t notice the southbound 2007 Dodge Magnum driven by the 29-year-old Fleming headed his way. Landers was beginning to turn onto Indiana 26 and his vehicle went in front of Fleming’s causing them to collide virtually head-on.

Fleming’s vehicle went off the southwest corner of the intersection and stopped in a ditch, with Landers’ vehicle stopping in the middle of Indiana 1 and blocking both lanes of traffic.

Patrick — Fleming’s daughter and a passenger in the vehicle — was flown by Lutheran Air to Riley Children’s Hospital. She was not strapped into her seat at the time of the crash.

Fleming complained of leg pain, and Landers complained of pain all over his body.

According to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report, Landers was administered an alcohol and drug blood test. Results are pending.

Both vehicles were towed, with damage estimated between $25,000 and $50,000.