Families, friends reach out to help teens injured in accident

Families and friends of two Jennings County teens injured in a Friday accident have raised more than $7,000 to support their recovery.

Columbus Christian High School junior Levi Sallee, 16, was listed in critical condition Tuesday at IU Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. Sallee was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his friend, 19-year-old Adriane Polley, a 2016 school graduate, who was listed in good condition at Methodist.

In a weekend social media post, Sallee’s family said the teen may need to be hospitalized for up to three months, followed by extensive physical therapy. School officials said Sallee had not regained consciousness as of Tuesday afternoon and his family reported intermittent progress and setbacks, expected at this point.

Each Columbus Christian Church members raised more than $3,000 from offerings for the families Sunday and $4,000 has been donated so far at Columbus Christian, school administrator Kendall Wildey said. The school and church, locatedĀ at 3170 Indiana Ave., continue to accept cash donations to help the families defray travel and meal costs.

Students gathered early Tuesday to receive information about their friends. During Bible classes during the day, they made cards and posters to support the accident victims.

The accident occurred about 7:55 p.m. Friday when Polley’s vehicle hit a raised part of the road at Jennings County roads 1000N at North County Road 700W along the county line, Wildey said. The accident happened about a quarter mile from Polley’s home.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.