Crash Report – Muncie Bypass and South Cowan Road, Muncie, IN
Report ID: 2024 May 23
NCIC#: Unknown
OFFICER ID#: Unknown
Traffic Unit 1: red Jeep
Traffic Unit 2: silver Jeep
Occupants: at least 3
Injuries/Fatalities: 1 fatality, 1 injured
Vehicle Damage (If Any): Yes
Property Damage (other than vehicles): Unknown
Road Surface Condition: Unknown
Manner of Crash Impact (Single Vehicle, Angle, Left Turn, Rear-End, Head-On, Sideswipe, U-Turn, Other, Unknown): Head-on
Location of Pedestrian/Cyclist (If Any): N/A
Narrative
DELAWARE COUNTY, IN – A 20-year-old has been arrested following a head-on collision late Wednesday near Muncie that claimed the life of a baby and injured three others, including a pregnant woman and her unborn child.
Deputies with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to the intersection of Muncie Bypass and South Cowan Road.
According to officials, the young man was intoxicated and behind the wheel of a red Jeep when he failed to yield the right-of-way to a silver Jeep, which was making a turn. Moments later, the vehicles collided head-on.
Deputies arrived on the scene to find a woman holding a 1-year-old child who appeared to be unresponsive. Both the woman and the child were rushed from the scene in an ambulance. The baby, identified as the suspect’s nephew, was airlifted to Riley’s Children’s Hospital where he later died.
The driver of the silver Jeep, a woman believed to be five months pregnant, was also transported to a local hospital. At the time of FOX 59’s report, hospital staff said it was unclear whether the unborn baby will survive.
Police said the suspect, who was found wearing only one shoe and who initially attempted to flee the scene during the emergency response, later admitted to being the driver of the red Jeep. Responding deputies had also noted that his other shoe had been found on the driver’s side floorboard of the Jeep, and that his driver’s license had also been located in the vehicle. A breathalyzer test administered at the scene showed his blood alcohol content to be .161%, twice the legal limit.
On Thursday, the suspect was taken into custody for an investigation into “neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury, a Level 1 felony,” as well as “operating a vehicle involved in a serious injury crash, a Level 5 felony.”
The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office is expected to determine final charges.
If you have suffered injuries and/or personal hardships as a result of a recent collision caused by a careless driver, it’s crucial to obtain a copy of your Indiana accident report. The information recorded in this document plays an essential role in the fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Our team believes this information belongs to all those involved in the crash, so we work to provide it to you free of charge. Simply complete and submit this contact form to receive your Indiana crash report at no cost.
Please note that the sample provided above was produced using details from a FOX 59 article; it is NOT meant to be taken for an actual Indiana crash report.