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Warrant Issued For Man Charged With Reckless Homicide In Gary

CHICAGO (STMW) -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a 45-year-old man who has been charged with reckless homicide in connection with a crash last month in Gary, Indiana.

Bryant Wardell faces five charges including reckless homicide and causing death while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, according to Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield. The warrant was issued Wednesday afternoon.

Wardell was at a gathering in the 3800 block of Massachusetts Street on the night of July 14 when he started doing "doughnuts" in reverse in his vehicle and struck two people, killing one and seriously wounding another, police said. He also struck several vehicles.

Ronald L. Mayes, 48, was pronounced dead just before 10 p.m. at Methodist Hospital Northlake, according to the coroner's office.

Rene'e Gibbs told a reporter at the scene of the crash that her brother and godson were struck in the crash by a drunk driver, who she also knows.

"We was sitting out here having a nice time. I went in the house for a few minutes," Gibbs said. "The gentleman who came to visit us over here, he was intoxicated, got in the car and he hit … five cars over here."

Gibbs said all the cars that the driver hit were parked.

Through tears she said her brother — who she referred to as Ron — was struck and was unresponsive after the crash.

As of Wednesday, Wardell was not in custody. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the Gary Violent Crimes Unit at (219) 881-1210.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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