A young driver identified as Clayton Green, 16, of Rushville, escaped serious injury early Sunday when he lost control of his 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix and rolled multiple times in the 4800 block of North CR 500E shortly before 11 a.m.

“When he came by my home he was really flying. I said if he did not slow down he would never make it across the bridge at the bottom of the hill. Only moments later we heard the vehicle rolling,” Kimber Ging said as medical personnel checked out the young driver.

It was learned that Green had earlier finished playing music at nearby Plum Creek Christian Church and was on his way to work in Rushville at the time of the accident.

“I would have to say that angels were still with him even after he left church this morning,” an unidentified responder said at the scene.

Investigating officer deputy Richard Gosser of the Rush County Sheriff’s Department said Green was southbound on CR 500E north of Gings Road when for unknown reasons he left the east side of the road and began rolling.

“At this point of the investigation I would say the driver’s speed played a roll in this accident. It appears that he rolled at least three times. It was a good thing he was wearing his seatbelt and shoulder harness or this would have been a lot worse. He is one lucky teenage driver,” Gosser said.

After his vehicle came to rest on its top, Green was able to remove himself from the car and call 911. The shaken driver inadvertently gave the sheriff’s department dispatcher erroneous information regarding his location.

“I was just freaking out after I stopped rolling and climbed out of the car. I really did not know where I was for a minute or two,” Green told medical personnel at the scene.

After being checked out at the scene by medical personnel from Life Ambulance, Green was transported to Rush Memorial Hospital. Although not believed to be life threatening, Green complained of neck and back pain. The full extent of his injuries was unknown at press time.

Responding to the scene were units from the RCSD, Life Ambulance, Glenwood Fire and Rescue and Davis Towing.

“I hope he learned something from this accident. I also hope that this serves as an example to other teenage drivers to slow down. I’ll say it again, he was a very lucky individual to be able to walk away from an accident of this nature,” Gosser said.

Frank Denzler can be contacted at (765) 932-2222 Ext. 106 or via e-mail at frank.denzler@cnhimedia.com. To add a comment to this story visit our Web site at www.rushvillerepublican.com.