FOUNTAIN COUNTY, Ind. — At approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Indiana State Police (ISP) troopers responded to a fatal vehicle crash on Interstate 74 eastbound near the 23-mile marker.
According to an ISP press release, a preliminary investigation conducted by Trooper Brown revealed that a 2004 Ford F-150 was traveling westbound on I-74 near the 23-mile marker when, for an unknown reason, the vehicle lost control. The Ford F-150 crossed the median, rolled over, and entered the eastbound lanes of the interstate. At that time, an eastbound semi-truck and trailer collided with the Ford F-150.
The semi-truck came to rest in the ditch on the south side of the road, while the Ford F-150 came to rest in the left lane of the eastbound side. Shortly after coming to rest, the Ford F-150 became engulfed in flames. The driver of the semi-truck was entrapped in the vehicle and required extraction by the fire department.
The driver of the Ford F-150 was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Fountain County Coroner. The individual’s name will be released by the coroner’s office at a later date, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.
The driver of the semi-truck, identified as Thomas Connolly, 51, of Buckeye, Arizona, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
This crash remains under investigation by the ISP. No additional information is available at this time.
Trooper Brown was assisted at the scene by the Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team, the Fountain County Sheriff’s Office, the Fountain County Coroner’s Office, INDOT, and numerous fire departments and EMS personnel.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
