Indianapolis, IN – Early Sunday morning, at 1:09 a.m., Indiana State Police dispatchers began receiving emergency calls of a vehicle driving the wrong way on I-65. As dispatchers were relaying the information to officers calls of a serious crash began coming in. The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of I-65 near Southport Road. When first responders arrived they found multiple vehicles with damage and the wreckage was blocking all lanes of I-65. One adult driver was entrapped but alert and conscious, that person was extricated by the Indianapolis Fire Department and transported by medical helicopter to an area hospital. Another person who was entrapped was unresponsive and unconscious, that person was later pronounced deceased at the scene. One other person in another vehicle was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
Investigators were on the scene for nearly six hours investigating the crash. Preliminary investigation determined a passenger vehicle was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of I-65. The wrong-way vehicle struck an SUV head-on. Two other vehicles were struck after the initial impact. Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists were on scene for several hours documenting evidence and investigating the crash. The deceased person was the driver of the wrong-way vehicle. Investigators will work with the Marion County Coroner’s Office and the Indiana Department of Toxicology to determine if alcohol was a factor in this crash, all tests for alcohol are currently pending.
The deceased driver was identified as 29 year old Christopher Kattman of Greenwood Indiana.
There is no further information about this crash to release at this time.
While on the scene of this crash, troopers discovered two other alleged drunk drivers driving near the scene. One person drove around the emergency vehicles into the closed scene, when ordered to stop by on-scene officers the driver backed into a stationary fire truck. That driver was subsequently arrested for Operating While Intoxicated. Another driver in the backed-up traffic was found to be intoxicated and arrested.
Criminal charges are merely accusations, all suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
