(Photo Provided to the Journal & Courier) Katherine Ann Baker, who went by Kate, died Sunday night in a two-vehicle crash at U.S. 52 West and Morehouse Road in West Lafayette. She was a junior at Harrison High School.

By Sophia Voravong

Authorities hope to determine in the next few days whether a West Lafayette man is criminally responsible for causing a two-vehicle crash Sunday night that killed a Harrison High School student.

Joseph L. Welch, 29, remained in the Tippecanoe County Jail on Tuesday on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, OWI with a prior conviction and OWI with a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent or more.

His bond was increased from $25,000 to $100,000.

The other driver, 16-year-old Katherine Ann Baker, died at the scene of the wreck at U.S. 52 West and Morehouse Road.

Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington said his office requested that Welch be held for 72 hours so that investigators with the Lafayette Metro Fatal Alcohol Crash Team can continue looking into the crash.

With the courthouse closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday, that gives his office until Tuesday afternoon to file formal charges.

"We hope in those 72 hours to complete as much of the investigation as we can," Harrington said.

He declined to comment on an aspect of the crash that is still unknown: Which driver had the right-of-way at the West Lafayette intersection, and how would it affect any charges against Welch?

Baker was turning left onto U.S. 52 West from Morehouse Road when her 2000 Buick LeSabre was struck on its driver's side about 11:45 p.m. Sunday by Welch's 2008 Dodge Nitro.

The intersection has a traffic light, but it's not yet known who had a green light. Investigators are urging any witnesses to come forward.

Lafayette police Detective Matt Devine, a member of the Lafayette Metro Fatal Alcohol Crash Team that is investigating the wreck, said he interviewed Welch on Tuesday and that Welch maintained that the light was green on U.S. 52 West.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed today in Tippecanoe Superior Court 2, a blood test taken at St. Elizabeth Medical Center showed that Welch had a blood-alcohol content of 0.21 percent after the crash.

That's more than double Indiana's legal limit of 0.08 percent to drive.

Sheriff's Deputy Matt Couch, who was the first officer to arrive, noted that Welch's eyes were red and watery and that he was chewing gum with a strong citrus scent.

When asked if he had been drinking, Welch denied consuming any alcohol.

Lafayette police Sgt. Max Smith, commander of the FACT Team, said it's not uncommon for people stopped for impaired driving to try and mask the odor of alcoholic beverages.

"People will chew gum. Men will put in chewing tobacco," he said. "They'll do many things to try and mask it. But when it comes down to it, it doesn't make any difference."