Man charged in fatal accident on SR 933

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- An arrest has been made in the death of Ronald Rogers who was hit by a car on SR 933 just south of the Toll Road on January 10 just before midnight.



The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's office says Jeremy Bontrager, 24, has been charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in a death, a class C felony.



Bond for Bontrager was set at $10,000 corporate surety or $1,000 cash.



Roseland Police were called to SR 933 just before midnight and found a man's body in one of the northbound lanes of SR 933.



The victim, 56-year-old Ronald Rogers, appeared to have been hit by a car.



South Bend Police received a tip from someone who said Bontrager said he thought he hit something in the road, reports said.



Bontrager was brought in for questioning by the Mishawaka Police.



He told police he was out with friends that night and consumed two beers and some French fries. He left around 11:30 driving his 2006 Dodge Charger, reports said.



He said he drove northbound on SR 933 and it was raining and he couldn't see. He said he heard a loud bang and thought he hit an animal, reports said.



He stopped at a restaurant parking lot and turned around but said he didn't see what he hit, reports said.



He pulled the damaged parts off his windshield and then went home, reports said.



Bontrager said he wasn't sure he had hit anything, but thought about coming forward after seeing information about the crash on the news, reports said.



Police obtained a search warrant for Bontrager's vehicle and said it appeared to have damage consistent with striking a pedestrian.



Autopsy results on Rogers are pending.



If you have any additional information in this case, contact Captain Tim Spencer at 574-259-2966.