South Bend police say Roseland Town Marshal Craig Toner was killed in a hit-and-run accident Saturday afternoon in South Bend.

It happened around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Ironwood and Rockne.

Police say Toner was off-duty, and riding his motorcycle with his brother, northbound on Ironwood, when a driver heading southbound in an SUV crossed the centerline and struck Toner’s motorcycle. Toner landed on the vehicle’s hood.

The SUV’s driver -- Alexander Orta, 26, of South Bend – stopped his vehicle and Toner slid onto the ground. Orta got out of his SUV, surveyed the scene, and then got back into his vehicle. He subsequently ran over Toner and crashed a half mile from the initial impact.

Toner was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital.

The St Joseph County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team (FACT) was dispatched to investigate the crash. They secured a forensic blood draw and results are pending.

Orta was arrested for two class C felonies – Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death, and Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Crash. Jail records show that Orta has been arrested 19 times since 2000.

Toner, who loved to ride, was recently promoted as Town Marshal for Roseland police after 3 years. Before that he served as a Captain for Mishawaka Police for almost 20 years.

Toner is survived by a son and daughter.

Friends and family gathered Saturday night to mourn the loss at Moondog’s on the south side of South Bend, the place that Toner liked to go and unwind.
“Craig’s the kind of guy who would go out of his way to help people,” said Mark Lewandowski, one of Toner’s friends. “When I was a rookie and he was a Captain, if he would see me struggling with something, he would just walk up and say hey, let me help you out, show you what to do.”

Many will simply remember him as an all around great guy. “A happy guy,” said Lewandowski.

Anyone who has any further information regarding the crash should contact Captain Tim Spencer, Mishawaka Police Department, at (574) 259-2966, or Sergeant Gene Eyster, South Bend Police Department, at (574) 235-9201.