Man accused of OWI for killing a Fort Wayne couple after driving the wrong way on Interstate 69

Muncie, Indiana – An Indianapolis man was formally charged Wednesday after investigators say he was drunk while driving the wrong way on I-69 in Delaware County, causing a four-vehicle crash that killed a husband and wife from Fort Wayne.

Victoria E. Cox, 32, and Evan D. Cox, 26, died in the crash that happened about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 12 on I-69 southbound near the Daleville exit. Madison County Central Dispatch about 10 minutes earlier had received a call of a driver going the wrong way on I-69, Indiana State Police say.

Investigators initially learned a silver Kia Forte, driven by 30-year-old Walter Saucedo-Mendoza, was going north in the southbound lanes when it hit a white Chevrolet Malibu. The Coxes were in the Malibu. After the cars crashed head-on, the Kia’s engine dislodged and landed in the left lane of the interstate, and a silver Volkswagen hit the engine. The Kia then also hit a semi-truck going southbound and came to an “uncontrolled rest,” police say.

Saucedo-Mendoza was transported by ambulance to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, where he had blood work. Subsequently, he was transported by air to a hospital in Indianapolis. It was eventually discovered that Saucedo-Mendoza had a blood-alcohol count of 0.186. That is more than double the 0.08 legal limit for drunk driving in Indiana.

According to police, the other two drivers in the collision were unharmed.

Six charges, including two counts of OWI causing death, two counts of reckless murder, and two counts of criminal recklessness, were brought against Saucedo-Mendoza on Wednesday in Delaware Circuit Court 1.

According to the prosecutor, Saucedo-Mendoza was still at large on Wednesday afternoon. He was freed on bond from the prison.

When a request for Saucedo-Mendoza’s jail booking photo was made on Wednesday after hours, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office did not respond right away.

For approximately four and a half hours, the southbound lanes of I-69 were closed to facilitate the crash investigation and cleanup.