Investigation continues into Wednesday fatal crash

The identity of the driver in a fiery fatal crash has yet to be released by the Howard County Sheriff's Office or county coroner.

Just after midnight last Wednesday, Howard County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of State Road 22 and County Road 700 West for a report of a two-vehicle crash, with one vehicle reported to be on fire and an occupant trapped inside.

Deputies arrived to find a Jeep Wrangler fully engulfed in flames and a Chevrolet Terrain stopped nearby. Fire personnel quickly worked to extinguish the blaze. Despite rescue attempts by passing motorists and the driver of the Terrain prior to emergency responders’ arrival, the lone occupant of the Jeep was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Chevrolet Terrain was evaluated at the scene and voluntarily submitted to a certified chemical test for intoxication. Preliminary testing showed no presence of alcohol. Blood samples were sent to the Indiana State Department of Toxicology for further analysis, as required under Indiana law in any motor vehicle accident resulting in death.

Preliminary investigation by the Sheriff’s Accident Reconstructionists indicates the Jeep was traveling westbound when it struck the rear passenger side of the Terrain, left the roadway, entered a ditch, and collided head-on with a tree. The Howard County Sheriff’s Office Drone Unit documented the scene, creating both a two-dimensional orthomosaic map and a three-dimensional point cloud to aid in the investigation.

An autopsy was performed Thursday at the Howard County Coroner’s Office. Positive identification, along with the cause and manner of death, remain pending autopsy and toxicology results.

The crash remains under investigation by Sgt. Christopher Cramer (#34-74). Anyone with information is encouraged to contact him at 765-614-3474, through the Sheriff’s Office mobile app, or at www.sheriff.howardcountyin.gov.

The Howard County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Howard County Coroner’s Office, Howard County Emergency Management Agency, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital & Burlington Fire Department.