NEW PALESTINE — A teenage driver who struck and killed one bicyclist and injured another was drunk at the time of the accident, police said.
The 17-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, was driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.28 percent at the time of the accident, Sheriff Mike Shepherd said. The legal limit for an adult in Indiana is 0.08 percent.
The accident occurred in the 4300 block of West County Road 300S around 9 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
The driver was headed west, and the cyclists were riding in the same direction along the right side of the roadway when he hit them, according to a news release from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
The teen’s car, a 2010 Hyundai Accent, struck both riders from behind, shattering the windshield, police said.
Carla McCloud, 22, of New Palestine, was taken by medical helicopter to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where she was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon after spending hours on life support, said sheriff’s Capt. Robert Campbell.
Amanda Wheeler, 22, of Greenfield, also suffered injuries and was treated at Methodist Hospital.
She remains in the hospital but is in stable condition, Campbell said.
The women were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash, but their bikes were equipped with reflectors that would have made them visible to the driver, Campbell said.
The driver, who stopped after the accident, was not injured. He was taken into police custody and is being held in a juvenile detention facility in Delaware County.
The case has been turned over to Hancock County Juvenile Probation for further investigation, said Wayne Addison, the county’s chief probation officer.
Members of the juvenile probation team met with prosecutors Wednesday to discuss whether the teen will be charged with a crime and whether he will be charged as an adult, Addison said.
A final decision has not been made, Addison said.
Juvenile probation officers regularly see youths arrested for possession of alcohol or underage drinking, Addison said. Too many times, his office deals with young people who were caught drinking and driving, he said.
This case, however, seems more severe because of the result of the crash, he said.
The teen is expected to appear in court this week, at which time a judge will decide if he will remain at the detention center or be released, Addison said.
The crash is still under investigation, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Campbell at 317-477-1147.