- Staff
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Indianapolis, IN August 11, 2010
Eric Wells was killed and two others were injured when an IMPD police cruiser crashed into the back of their motorcycles. The cruiser was running with its lights and siren on, but the motorcyclists were unable to move out of the way.
It was later revealed that the officer behind the wheel, Officer Dave Bisard, had a blood acohol level of .19.
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Indianapolis - A witness is speaking out about the squad car crash that killed one motorcyclist and injured two others.
George Burt says he was stopped behind a car at a red light last Friday. His friends' motorcycles were stopped just to his left and other cars were stopped to his right. An IMPD cruiser collided with the two motorcycles to his side, but Burt says there was room in the left turn lane for the officer to go around.
The family of Eric Wells was overwhelmed with emotion as they visited the scene of the accident where the 30-year old lost his life. He was their son, husband and a friend to Burt, who minutes before was also at the crash scene, trying to forget what happened Friday morning.
"It was probably about 11, something like that, 11:15. We were going to lunch," Burt said.
He said he and three of his co-workers, including Wells, were on their motorcycles when they stopped at the light on E. 56th Street and Brendon Way.
"It was Kurt and Mary up front and me over here to the right and Eric Wells to the last," Burt said.
He heard sirens and turned around to see a police car coming behind them. Metro police says the officer was on his way to an emergency call when he came up behind the motorcycles, but was unable to avoid them.
"Witnesses say they tried to get out of the way, there were two motorcycles that did not manage to get out of the way," IMPD Officer Brian Dixon said at the scene Friday.
"The left lane was open if we could. We couldn't go there, because where would he go? We're told to stay in place, so that's where we were. Kind of forced to stay in place," Burt said.
The squad car hit two of the motorcycles and Burt saw it all, because his was untouched.
"It just looked like, the only way I can tell anybody about it, it just looked like a tornado. Just picking up people and dropping them off on its way," he said.
Blue marks on the pavement show where his three friends landed. Wells came to rest near the site of two small memorials.
"He was on his back and all I could do is check for a pulse. There was a pulse at the time, he was just staring up, his eyes wide open," Burt said.
Wells died at Methodist Hospital and the two other victims are still there.
Burt says he has visited the scene of the accident often, because it's therapeutic. He considers himself lucky and still can't believe how he made it out alive.
"I don't know how I'm feeling yet. I'm still dealing with that," he said. "I go through, 'Why me? Why not?' I've go the big 'whys.' I don't know," he said.
Viewing services for Wells are taking place Monday at Conkle Funeral Home in Speedway from 6 to 8 pm. His funeral is Tuesday at 10 am.
The two other victims, Mary Mills and Kurt Weekly are still at Methodist Hospital in critical condition. The officer involved is on administrative leave, pending an investigation.
