A 20-year-old Pioneer man, Cameron Laney, has died from injuries sustained in a Fourth of July crash near Angola, Indiana, according to the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. A 22-year-old Defiance man has been arrested on preliminary charges connected to the incident.
Deputies were called to the crash on Metz Road near its intersection with U.S. 20, just outside the Angola city limits, shortly before 7:15 p.m. on July 4, 2026. The 911 caller reported that a person had possibly been ejected from a vehicle or a boat.
When first responders arrived, they found a male victim with a possible head injury who was unresponsive, while bystanders were performing CPR. Steuben County EMS and Angola Fire Rescue provided emergency medical care at the scene before transporting the victim to Parkview Regional Medical Center in critical condition. He was later identified as Cameron Laney of Pioneer, Ohio, a North Central High School graduate. He died at the hospital early the next morning.
Crash Details
According to investigators, a white 2015 GMC Sierra pickup truck towing a pontoon boat was traveling eastbound on U.S. 20 and approaching Metz Road. The driver, identified as 22-year-old Chase Gustwiller of Defiance, Ohio, allegedly turned right onto Metz Road at a high rate of speed, causing the pontoon boat to shift and come off the trailer.
Officials said the pontoon continued sliding on its floats along the roadway before the winch strap detached. It then left the roadway into a grassy area and overturned. Cameron Laney, who was aboard the pontoon, was ejected and became trapped underneath it during the incident.
Investigators noted that weather and roadway conditions were clear and dry at the time of the crash. Seatbelts were reportedly in use in the pickup truck, which sustained no damage. Authorities believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Arrest and Investigation
During the preliminary investigation, Gustwiller allegedly showed signs of impairment. He was arrested and booked into the Steuben County Jail by Angola Police on preliminary charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person, a Class A misdemeanor, and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death, a Level 4 felony. He has since posted a $10,000 surety bond and was released.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office and Angola Police continue to investigate the crash. They were assisted at the scene by Angola Fire Rescue, Steuben County EMS, and the Indiana State Police.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing as they work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
