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by: Lydia Reuille, Aaron Organ, Breann Boswell
by: Lydia Reuille, Aaron Organ, Breann Boswell
MONTPELIER, Ind. (WANE) — A community has rallied around a Montpelier family after a woman – who police say was intoxicated – crashed through a home Thursday, killing a man and his great-grandson and injuring two others family members.
It was just before 8 p.m. when the Montpelier Police Department responded to a reported accident with injuries at 165 E. Blaine St.
Police said 46-year-old Brandi Bare of Montpelier was driving south on Main Street when her maroon Pontiac Grand Prix went off the road and continued through a backyard, then crashed into the back of a mobile home and continued all the way through to the front porch, where eight people were sitting, including the great-grandfather and great-grandson. The vehicle came to a stop in the driveway after it crashed into a parked car.
“It’s scary that it happened here it just doesn’t seem real, it was so bad it seemed like a show or something,” neighbor Jamie Winningham says. “It just looked like a bomb went off.”
Jerry “Jake” Michael, 74, of Montpelier and Jenson Reynolds, 5, were both pronounced dead at the scene by the Blackford County Coroner. Two others – a nearly 2-year-old girl, and the father of the children, Jerod Reynolds – were air lifted to the hospital for their injuries, according to the report.
Neighbor and family member Karen Binegar shares, “We grew up together, we’d go places together, travel together and do a lot of different things together. Jake would give anything to anybody. He would just help anybody. His great grandson went to school with my great grandbabies and just graduated preschool. He just lit up a room when he walked in, they’re going to be missed.”
“My dad was awesome, the rock to the family. He loved his grandbabies. Anybody that knew my dad was his friend,” Jerry Michael, son of Jake Michael, says. He goes on to say, “Jenson was the best, smartest little kid, cute, had the dumbest things he could say but he was awesome.”
Police reported Bare was also taken to the hospital for a blood draw. Police believe alcohol and/or drugs were contributing factors in the incident. Bare was then taken to the Blackford County Security Center.
Bare was arrested on two counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, two counts of reckless homicide, two counts of causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and knowingly fleeing from law enforcement.
According to court records, when police arrived at the scene, Bare was sitting on the ground crying, saying she was sorry. She said there was a little boy under her car that needed help.
Police found that child dead, court records said.
Binegar says, “they said there’s no tire marks whatsoever in the house. It makes me sick, the whole thing.”
Police asked for Bare’s driver’s license and she did not answer. Officers also asked her to stand up and she refused. She was eventually taken into custody and placed in a squad car.
Jerry Michael says, “you’re safe when you’re at home. you should never have to worry about someone coming through and killing you on your front property? She has a $5,000 bond, is that all my family is worth? She destroyed a family, she killed my dad, killed my nephew, it should’ve never happened. Nobody should have to live through that.”
Police noted Bare smelled of alcohol and her speech was slurred, and her eyes were red and blood shot. She had urinated herself, court records said.
While police investigated, Bare slipped a handcuff and got out of the police vehicle, and walked away, the affidavit said. An officer chased her down “and she fell to the ground crying and saying that she could not do this,” the affidavit said. She was taken back to a police vehicle and belted in.
Police said there was no field sobriety test given because she was uncooperative and “the chaos on scene,” the affidavit said.
According to court records, Bare has prior operating while intoxicated convictions out of Wells County (2012) and Howard County (2015).
Bare remains in the Blackford County Jail as of Monday.
The incident is still being investigated.
These photos show the inside of the home after the crash:
Melinda Townsend, Jenson’s grandmother, said the boy’s almost 2-year-old sister is in the hospital for injuries from the incident, and his father is also recovering from injuries.
Binegar shares, “Emma is a little trooper, just a tough little girl. They took her off the breathing machine.”
Support for the victims’ families poured in after the crash — many reaching out who Townsend said she didn’t know before Thursday.
Jerry Michael says his family is, “tough, we’re made of steel. We might bend but we aren’t going to break.”
Townsend said one community member organized a vigil Sunday to honor the family. Supporters gathered at Montpelier’s Baldwin Park off S.R 18, known as the airplane park.
Monday, people gathered at Hartford City Hall to protest Bare’s bond.
A GoFundMe* was launched to support the family impacted by the crash. The campaign has reached more than $40,000 in support of the family.
*WANE.com does not assure that the monies or donations deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a donation, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
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