COLDWATER, MI – A Fort Wayne man was sentenced to a maximum of five years for an accident the caused in Branch County.

Evan Kerr, 34, of Fort Wayne was sentenced to 39 months to 5 years in the Michigan Department Of Corrections on Monday, June 6.

Kerr was charged with operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, a 5-year felony in Michigan.

The accident took place in April 2, 2021 at the intersection of Fremont Road and Copeland Road in rural Branch County, Michigan.

The Branch County Sheriff’s Department said Kerr failed to stop at a stop heading east when he struck James Wagenknecht, 69, of Hamilton, Indiana in his vehicle who was northbound.

Wagenknecht was thrown from his vehicle and suffered multiple fractures and was left with permanent disabilities.

Branch County sheriff's deputies along with Michigan State Police determined Kerr was intoxicated. A blood test detected methadone and 44 nanograms of THC.
Kerr admitted to using methadone 2 hours prior to driving.