Rochester man charged in November death of Etna Green pedestrian

Larry Smith (Photo Provided)

A Rochester man has been charged after the pickup he was driving killed an elderly Etna Green pedestrian in November.

Larry Gene Smith, 57, of Rochester, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 11:04 a.m. Sunday and charged with causing death while operating a vehicle, a Level 4 felony.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed Thursday in Kosciusko Superior Court III, at approximately 4:45 p.m. Nov. 3, Kosciusko County Sheriff deputies responded to a pedestrian and vehicle personal injury crash on Broadway Street at the intersection of Walnut Street in Etna Green. Upon arrival, the deputy observed a white 1999 Ford F150 sitting in the westbound lane of Broadway Street, and Smith was identified as the driver.

Smith told police he was driving the pickup, traveling south on Walnut Street, stopped at the stop sign continued his turnĀ  west onto Broadway Street and that he never saw the pedestrian.

According to the affidavit, Carol L. Hoffer, 84, was crossing Broadway Street at the intersection and later died from extensive head injuries.

According to court papers, Smith consented to a blood draw, and results from that came back and showed he had amphetamine, methamphetamine, and 11-Nor-9 Carboxy THC in his blood at the time of the crash.

His bond was set at $15,250.