After minor changes, a man faces from six months to 2.5 years in prison in a revised plea deal for crashing into a mother’s vehicle at 117 mph near U.S. 30.
Stuart Roane, 59, of Marion, Indiana, pleaded guilty Nov. 12 to criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony, and misdemeanor reckless driving. Court documents allege he had cocaine in his system.
If Judge Gina Jones accepts it, his sentencing date is Jan. 27.
Last week, Jones reset the plea hearing after Roane yelled he was “sober” during the crash. He had been expected to plead guilty to criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony, and misdemeanor operating while intoxicated.
Everyone survived the September 2023 crash. The woman was extracted from the car, later telling police she couldn’t remember what happened. The baby was ejected in her car seat.
Roane was originally charged with causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II substance in the blood, a Level 5 felony, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangerment and reckless driving, which are both class A misdemeanors.
Police responded at 8:48 p.m. Sept. 23, 2023 to the intersection of U.S. 30 (Lincoln Highway) and Burr Street in Schererville.
A witness said Roane blew a red light going east on U.S. 30 at a “really high rate of speed.” He hit the woman in the intersection, the charging affidavit alleges. The man estimated Roane was going 75-80 miles per hour.
Another witness said the Malibu went by “in a flash” and the crash sounded like an “explosion.” The mother was “awake” and “crying out for her baby,” but there was “no back seat…anymore”, the witness told investigators.
Other women who were checking the scene heard a baby crying and saw the car seat flipped on its side 20 feet from the car’s rear half on the grass. The child had blood on her face, mouth and ear.
A different witness told police two cars passed him — like they were “street racing” — on the U.S. 30’s left shoulder near a Jaguar dealership, before one got into the crash.
The woman had a fractured hand, three broken ribs, lacerations and “trauma” to her right leg.
A crash reconstruction investigator estimated Roane’s Malibu was traveling at 120 miles per hour, while the airbag data showed 117 miles per hour. The woman’s car was going about 16 per hour.
Deputy Prosecutor Maureen Koonce and defense lawyer Kirk Marrie are assigned.
Post-Tribune archives contributed.
