DATE: Monday, October 19, 2020
SUBJECT: Motorist Killed in Crash on US 41
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-NR-062
CONTACT: Col. Noah Robinson / Sgt. Erik Nilssen
AUTHORITY: Sheriff Dave Wedding
A motorist was killed this evening in northern Vanderburgh County after a collision involving a wrong-way driver.
At 5:57 PM today the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police, along with emergency medical personnel from the Scott Township Fire Department, responded to a motor vehicle crash with injuries in the area of US Hwy 41 near E. Baseline Road.
First responders arrived to the scene and found a 2006 Ford F-150 in the ditch east of US Hwy 41 and a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox in the median. The vehicles had heavy front end damage and were emitting smoke. Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles and had to be extricated by firefighters.
Despite life-saving measures being attempted by first responders, the driver of the F-150 did not survive. The driver of the Equinox was transported to Deaconess Midtown Hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox had been traveling south on US Hwy 41 when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle crossed the grass median and began traveling the wrong direction. Shortly after crossing the median, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox entered the north-bound lane of travel and collided with the 2006 Ford F-150.
The crash will remain under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office pending a toxicology analysis and crash reconstruction. Drugs or alcohol are not currently suspected of having been a factor in the crash.
The crash resulted in the closure of US Hwy 41 between Inglefield Rd and Baseline Rd for over three hours. The identity of the deceased will be released by the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office.
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