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Accidents

Motorcyclist, 20, Dies after Colliding with a Van near 86th & Michigan Rd.

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Wednesday, May 31, 2017, 6:18 PM

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Accident investigators are on the scene of a fatal accident involving a motorcycle and a van.

Just before 4:45 p.m. on May 31, 2017, officers with the IMPD were dispatched to the intersection of W 86th St and Payne Rd on reports of a serious accident. Responding officers located an unresponsive 20-year-old male who had been thrown from a motorcycle after striking a van. EMS personnel transported the rider to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where despite the best life-saving efforts, the man died from his injuries.

Accident investigators believe the Van was turning south onto Payne Rd from the west lanes of W 86th St when the motorcyclist struck the vehicle while traveling east on 86th St. It is believed that the motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed and driving erratically at the time of the accident. The driver of the van was taken to the hospital for a blood draw as is standard procedure for accidents involving serious injury or death. No alcohol or drugs are suspected. The decedent’s name will be available through the Marion County Coroner’s Office once proper next-of-kin notification has been made.

IMPD continues to urge anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS). Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to www.CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip. You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000 if the information leads to a felony arrest. Only tips submitted directly and anonymously to Crime Stoppers are eligible for these cash rewards. Information given via Crime Stoppers should be considered anonymous.

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SOURCE: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Elsie Reed, Roy Pickett and Mary Pickett Injured in Head-on Crash

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Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 05/31/2017 04:14 PM EDT

Crawford County – A two-vehicle crash in English Wednesday injured three Crawford County residents.

At 1:35 P.M., 84-year-old Elsie Reed of Eckerty was northbound on Indiana Avenue in English in her 1994 Ford Tempo, and was attempting to turn west onto State Road 64. Reed failed to see an eastbound 1994 Chevrolet Blazer, driven by 48-year-old Roy Pickett of English, and turned in his path. Reed tried to avoid colliding with Reed, but instead crashed nearly head on.

Reed was transported to Baptist Health Floyd Hospital in New Albany, where she was treated for injuries to her head, hand, and knee. Pickett was taken to University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky due to complaints of chest pains. Pickett’s passenger, Mary Pickett, was also treated for chest pains and a loss of feeling in her feet.

Seatbelts were in use at the time of the crash and reduced the severity of injuries sustained. The Indiana State Police was assisted at the scene by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, English Volunteer Fire Department, and Crawford County EMS.

Layla Raines, 15, Dies after being Struck Retrieving a Ball

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Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 05/31/2017 08:12 PM EDT

Clay County—The Indiana State Police and the Vigo County Coroner’s Office have officially identified the teenage victim from this afternoon’s van versus pedestrian crash on State Road 246, just west of SR 159.

She has been identified as 15-year-old Layla Raines of Jasonville, IN. Her family has been aware from the onset.

The crash occurred in Clay County, but because she succumbed to her traumatic injuries at Terre Haute Regional Hospital, the coroner’s jurisdiction lies with Vigo County Coroner’s Office.

The Indiana State Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash, but it appears she walked or ran into the path of an eastbound 2009 Nissan van, driven by 39-year-old Stephen D. Agee of Jasonville, IN., to retrieve a recreational ball that had traveled south across SR 246 from a nearby yard.

The investigation is ongoing by ISP Detective Michael Featherling and ISP Crash Reconstructionist Sergeant Jim Cody.

Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 05/31/2017 03:48 PM EDT

Clay County—This afternoon at 12:38, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a car versus pedestrian crash in front of a residence on State Road 246 just west of SR 159. The crash resulted in the death of a 15-year-old girl.

Preliminary investigation revealed a maroon 2009 Nissan Quest van, driven by 39-year-old Stephen D. Agee of Jasonville, IN. was eastbound on SR 246, when a 15-year-old female traveled south from a residence across SR 246 and into his path. The right front of the van impacted the young girl causing traumatic injuries. She was transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for treatment but later succumbed there to her injuries. The teenager was reportedly attempting to retrieve a recreational ball that strayed south from the yard across SR 246. She was a visitor to the nearby home.

The crash is being investigated by ISP Detective Michael Featherling. Assisting personnel was ISP Crash Reconstructionist and Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant Jim Cody, Sergeant Joe Watts, and Senior Trooper Bill Bradbury, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Vigo County Coroner’s Office, Jasonville Police, Lewis Township Fire/Rescue, and CARE EMS.

The investigation is ongoing and drugs and or alcohol do not appear to be a factor. Once complete, the information will be submitted to the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office for a standard review.

The family has been notified. Name of deceased is not yet being released, pending coroner’s official identification process. Possibly within 24 hours.

Direct any media questions to Sergeant Joe Watts.

Scene pictures attached. One is ISP Detective Michael Featherling photographing the scene. The other is the Nissan van.

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Lester C. Fason, 28 of Sauk Village, Illinois, Killed in I-94 Accident

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Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 05/31/2017 12:30 PM EDT

UPDATE

The family of the deceased has been notified. The driver has been identified as Lester C. Fason, 28 of Sauk Village, Illinois. Fason died from blunt force trauma, he was wearing a seat belt.

Westbound traffic is open but eastbound traffic is down to one lane (left lane construction lane). These lane restrictions are expected to last several (3-4) hours more. They have up-righted one trailer, need to offload and up-right second trailer, upright the tractor, clean-up the roadway and surrounding area. The hazardous material crew is on the scene.

See original release below:

Indiana State Police sent this bulletin at 05/31/2017 09:44 AM EDT

La Porte County – a semi pulling double trailers crashed, early this morning, on I-94 eastbound at the 36-mile marker (this is two miles east of US 421/Michigan City exit).

Preliminary investigation revealed at approximately 6:06 a.m., this Wednesday, May 31st, 2017, morning, a semi pulling double trailers, went off the road for unknown reasons and rolled over. The tractor wrapped behind the bridge pillar at that location and the driver (single occupant) was trapped inside. The double trailers, carrying food product and paint, also overturned and their contents were spilled on the roadway, shoulder, and into Trail Creek waterway. Diesel fuel and oil from the tractor was also lost.

The driver had to be extricated from the semi and an air ambulance was requested. The driver succumbed to his injuries before the air ambulance arrived. West bound traffic is open but two lanes east bound are closed. The only lane of traffic opened is the closed construction lane (three lanes in this area, one closed for construction). This lane due to being a closed construction lane is not an optimal lane for driving.

Please choose an alternate route of travel!! Expect long delays and backups in this area.

It is unknown how long these lanes will be closed for clean-up, up-righting the semi and trailers, and investigation of the crash.

Name of the driver has been withheld pending notification of the family.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Lake Shafer Tubing Crash Results in Severe Injury and Arrests of John Mentel, 59, and Cole Hartman, 23

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Wednesday, May 31, 2017, 8:00 AM

Monticello, IN – Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a boat crash that occurred on Memorial Day, on Lake Shafer. A man struck a pier while being towed on a tube.

On May 29, near 8 p.m., emergency personnel responded to a residence on Chamber Ct for a report of a man seriously injured after he, and his tube, collided with a dock support pole. The tube was being pulled by a 1993 Maxum ski boat. It was determined the occupant of the tube, Jason Mullendore, 31, of Lafayette, sustained a life-threatening leg injury and lost a considerable amount of blood. Emergency treatment was provided by bystanders and arriving personnel. Mullendore was transported to IU White Hospital by Monticello Fire Department Paramedics. Upon arriving at IU White Hospital, he was immediately flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Indiana Conservation Officer’s and White County Sheriff’s Deputies began their investigation and were told by several occupants of the boat that Britany Mentel, 24, Lafayette was operating the boat at the time of the crash. It was later determined that all of the adults in the boat fabricated their story about who was actually driving the boat.

It has been determined that the boat was actually being operated by John Mentel, 59, Monticello.

Mullendore underwent emergency surgery in Indianapolis and is in serious condition. The injury resulted in the loss of his lower leg.

The investigation on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, by Indiana Conservation Officer’s resulted in the arrests of:

  • John Mentel, 59, of Monticello for Misdemeanor False Informing
  • Cole Hartman, 23, of Delphi for Misdemeanor False Informing

Hartman and Mentel were booked into the White County Jail.

This investigation is ongoing and additional charges and the arrests of others involved are possible.

All suspects in any criminal case are merely accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court.

SOURCE: Indiana DNR Law Enforcement

Bicyclist Daniel Ratcliff, 17, Struck By Police Car in Muncie

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Indiana State Police sent this bulletin on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at 05:28 AM EDT.

Muncie – A Muncie teen was injured early Wednesday morning after he rode his bicycle into traffic on Hoyt Avenue at Memorial Drive. Troopers were summoned to the scene around 12:40 a.m. to investigate the crash.

The preliminary investigation by Pendleton District Trooper Lee Tinch indicates that Daniel Ratcliff, age 17 of Muncie, was riding a bike north bound on Hoyt Avenue around 12:30 a.m. when he ran the red light and entered into traffic at the intersection with Memorial Drive.

An east bound passenger car on Memorial Drive that was just pulling out with the green light was able to get stopped just before hitting the bicyclist. The bike continued on north across the street into the path of a west bound Muncie Police Department car that was approaching the intersection and also had the green light.

The Muncie Police Department car, driven by Officer Jacob Massoth, age 25, swerved to miss the bicyclist but was unable to avoid collision, hitting the bike with the left front of the car. Ratcliff was transported from the scene by Delaware County EMS to I.U. Health’s Ball Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

Trooper Tinch was assisted at the scene by the Muncie Fire Department, Delaware County EMS and Delaware County EMA. ISP Sergeant Dave Clayton, Trooper Coley McCutcheon, and Crash Reconstruction Investigators Trooper Nick Campbell and Trooper Nate Raney were also at the scene to assist Tinch with the investigation, which remains ongoing.

All Suspects Are Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty in a Court of Law

Charles W. Burton, 28, of Tell City, Airlifted Following I-65 Crash

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Indiana State Police sent this bulletin on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at 11:36 PM EDT

Seymour – Tuesday afternoon, at approximately 4:00 pm, the Indiana State Police was called to a five vehicle personal injury crash on I-65 Southbound near the 48-mile marker in Jackson County, Indiana. One driver was flown to a Louisville hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

The initial investigation by Trooper Matt Holley indicated that traffic on I-65 Southbound was backed up due to an earlier vehicle fire on I-65 Southbound near the 41-mile marker. Despite troopers sitting at the rear of the traffic backup with emergency lights displayed, a 1998 Kenworth tractor-trailer being driven by Charles W. Burton, age 28, Tell City, Indiana did not slow for the stopped traffic.

Burton’s vehicle struck the rear of a 2015 Ford van being driven by Michael E. Kleitz, age 38, New Albany, Indiana. The collision forced Kleitz’ vehicle off the roadway where it overturned. Burton’s vehicle continued southbound where it struck the rear of a 2012 Kenworth tractor-trailer being driven by Darrel R. Ashby, age 66, Lebanon, Virginia. The force of the collision forced Ashby’s vehicle into the rear of a 2017 Mack tractor-trailer being driven by Victor Jones, age 54, Clarksville, Tennessee. Jones’ vehicle was then pushed into a 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer being driven by Larry S. Grover, age 50, Harrison, Michigan.

Burton was trapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated from his vehicle by the Seymour Fire Department. He was then flown to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky for the treatment of serious injuries. All other drivers involved in the crash were treated and released at the scene.

Southbound lanes of I-65 were shut down for nearly three hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

The investigation is ongoing.

Trp. Holley was assisted by numerous other troopers with the Indiana State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Seymour Police Department, Seymour Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, PHI Medical Helicopter, and 31 Wrecker Service.

Jessica Skeens, 28, Also Arrested in 6-year-old’s Death

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Tue, May 30, 2017, at 3:15 PM

Muncie – A second arrest was made this afternoon as the result of the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash that claimed the life of a 6-year-old girl Sunday afternoon. Sunday around 4:30 p.m. officers responded to a report of an overturned vehicle on northbound SR 67, the Muncie Bypass, just north of Meeker Avenue. Troopers Coley McCutcheon and Eric Patterson along with Delaware County Deputies arrived to find a car rolled over on the right side of the road.

The preliminary investigation indicated the driver, Jessica Skeens age 28 of Farmland, was driving a van north on the Muncie bypass with her boyfriend, Nathaniel Jordan, age 27 of Muncie, with two of her children in the middle seat in child restraint seats, and two more of her children in the rear seat without child restraint seats.

Skeens and Jordan had been arguing when Jordan punched Skeens and grabbed the steering wheel, causing her to lose control of the van. The vehicle left the right side of the roadway rolling over into the ditch, coming to rest on its wheels.

Skeens 6-year-old daughter, Taelyn Woodson, a back seat passenger who was not properly restrained in a child restraint seat, was partially ejected out of a window and succumbed to her injuries. The other three children in the van were transported to I.U. Health’s Ball Memorial Hospital for the treatment of minor injuries. Crash Reconstruction Investigator Trooper Scott Keegan was summoned to the scene to assist with the investigation.

After the prosecutor’s office preliminary review of the ongoing investigation, Jessica Skeens, age 28, was arrested this afternoon and charged with Neglect of a Dependent Causing Death, Level 1 Felony; Operating While Intoxicated Causing the Death of another person, a Level 5 Felony; Operating While Intoxicated with a passenger less than 18 years of age, Level 5 Felony and three counts of Neglect of a Dependent, Level 5 Felony.

Toxicology reports showed that Skeens had a B.A.C. over the .08% legal limit at the time of the crash. Skeens was lodged in the Delaware County Jail.This is all the information available for release at this time.

All Suspects Are Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty in a Court of Law

SOURCE: Indiana State Police

14 Year Old Seriously Injured in Crown Point ATV Crash

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Crown Point, IN – Indiana Conservation Officers on Monday were called to the 6400 East block of 129th Avenue to investigate an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) crash that left a 14-year-old female seriously injured.

The investigation revealed that at approximately 4:40 p.m. a 14-year-old female was operating an ATV with a 9-year-old passenger on a blacktop road when she attempted to make a turn into a driveway. The ATV was traveling too fast to properly make the turn and struck a nearby brick wall.

As a result of the crash, the 14-year-old operator was left with serious facial injuries and head trauma. She was transported by ambulance to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point and then transported by helicopter to University of Chicago Medical Center.

It does not appear a helmet or any other safety equipment was worn at the time of the incident. Indiana conservation officers highly recommend the use of proper safety equipment when operating all-terrain vehicles.

Indiana conservation officers were assisted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and Lakes of Four Seasons Fire and EMS.

SOURCE: Indiana DNR Law Enforcement

16-year-old Girl Suffers Head Injury in Martin County ATV Accident

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Monday, May 29, 2017, 8:43 AM

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an ATV accident that resulted in 16-year-old girl suffering a head injury. The ATV left the roadway hitting a guardrail and road sign, causing both occupants to be ejected into the roadway.

The driver of the ATV was a 17-year-old boy, who was slightly injured during the crash. The female passenger was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Jasper for treatment.

The accident occurred around 6:00 pm on May 28th 2017 on Brooks Bridge Road. Neither subject was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

Responding agencies included the Martin County Sheriffs Department, Martin County EMS, Shoals Fire Department and Indiana Conservation Officers.

SOURCE: Indiana DNR Law Enforcement