A mo-ped driver was airlifted after a crash Thursday on Peddler’s Village Road in Goshen.

Injured was Stephen C. Kucela Sr., 65, 73 Brookside Manor.

Goshen police officers were called to the scene of a crash involving a mo-ped and two automobiles at 12a:09 p.m. The crash took place in the area of 2900 block of Peddler’s Village Road near the entrance to the Peddler’s Auction property.

Witnesses and drivers indicated that a 2000 Volkswagon Beetle driven by Annetta Harrington, 92, 1402 Clover Creek Lane, exited to the west from the private drive of the Peddler’s Auction property and pulled in front of the mo-ped. Kucela was unable to prevent colliding with the rear left fender of the Beetle, according to police.

The mo-ped and Kucela glanced off of the Beetle and into oncoming traffic, colliding with an eastbound, 2001 Ford Escape driven by Jesus Nunez, 44, 92 Brookside Manor.

Kucela was thrown from his mo-ped and rolled along the center of the roadway. He was treated by Goshen paramedics and airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition Thursday evening.

Harrington was uninjured, according to the police report.  Nunez reported non-incapacitating pain. He was attended to by paramedics and transported to a hospital for treatment.

Man injured on

motorized barstool

A Middlebury man riding what police termed a “motorized barstool” was injured when he lost control of the makeshift vehicle Wednesday.

James Kleckner, 53, suffered a bruise to his head, scrapes to his elbow and minor bleeding, Elkhart County police reported.

The mishap occurred shortly before 5 p.m. five miles east of Bristol. Elkhart County police said Kleckner was riding a barstool that had been affixed to a go-cart frame with a small Honda engine.

Kleckner was traveling south on Rachael Court north of York Hills drive. He told police that after completing a curve on Rachael Court, he accelerated on a straight, flat section of road. Kleckner lost control of the vehicle and fell from the barstool, according to the police report.

After the mishap, Kleckner was transported to a hospital. Kleckner told officers he had consumed alcohol prior to the crash. However, police said Kleckner was found not to be intoxicated.

Kleckner was not cited by police.

Police probe

attempted abduction

The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department began investigating a possible attempted abduction Wednesday afternoon.

Police were called to a home in the 57000 block of 18th Street south of Elkhart at 4:30 p.m. when it was reported that a man may have attempted to lure a small child into his vehicle.

Police were told that a witness saw a white male, who was driving a pickup truck, stop to speak to the child, who was playing. After asking the boy to pet his dog, the driver fled from the area as a witness approached him.

The man driving the truck was described as a white man in his 40s with a short, untrimmed beard. He is reported to have “bad teeth” and was wearing a tan baseball cap.

The truck was described as a black, 2008 or newer Chevrolet 2500 pickup with a lot of chrome on it, including running boards.

Anyone with information about the incident or the suspect and vehicle involved is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 574-533-4151.