The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two different fatal crashes, both of which occurred on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Gwinn Road
At approximately 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 25400 block of Gwinn Road for a report of a serious crash.
Upon arrival, deputies determined the crash involved a single vehicle and a single occupant. Preliminary investigation indicates that a white 2023 Toyota RAV4 was traveling northbound on Gwinn Road when it crossed into the southbound lanes and struck a tree on the west side of the roadway.
The driver, Elizabeth Achenbach, 16, was transported to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, where she was later pronounced deceased.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team is currently investigating the incident.
U.S. 31 in Westfield
At approximately 9:29 p.m. Wednesday, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a serious crash involving two vehicles in the 19000 block of northbound U.S. 31.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered a collision involving a Chevrolet Cruze and a Dodge Ram. Preliminary investigation indicates that the Chevrolet was traveling southbound on U.S. 31 near 191st Street when it crossed the median and began traveling south in the northbound lanes. As the southbound Chevrolet, while traveling in the northbound lanes, approached the 191st Street off-ramp, it collided head-on with a northbound Dodge Ram.
Both vehicles sustained catastrophic damage. The occupants of the Dodge Ram sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet Cruze sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
The deceased driver was Edward Johnson, 62, Sheridan.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team is conducting the investigation into the fatal crash.