Indianapolis, IN – The Indiana State Police is investigating two separate fatal crashes that occurred Saturday Night on I-74 on the east side of Indianapolis.
At 12:45 a.m. troopers were dispatched to a vehicle in the ditch on I-74 eastbound at the 95 mile marker. A short time later, a 911 call was received that a pedestrian had been struck in that same area. Upon arrival emergency crews found an adult male lying in the roadway, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Preliminary investigation has led troopers to believe the pedestrian was the driver of the vehicle originally reported in the ditch and impairment could be a factor in this crash. The driver of the car that struck the pedestrian remained on scene and fully cooperated with the investigation, that driver was not believed to be intoxicated. I-74 eastbound was closed for four hours while the crash was investigated.
Troopers responded to the second fatal crash at 2:42 a.m. on I-74 westbound at the 94.6 mile marker, just four tenths of a mile from the first crash. Investigating officers believe an eastbound semi-tractor trailer was doing a u-turn through the cross-over due to the interstate closure from the earlier crash. A westbound passenger vehicle collided with that semi as the semi entered the westbound lanes. The driver of that passenger vehicle was pronounce deceased at the scene. This investigation is ongoing and the westbound lanes of I-74 remain closed at the 94.6 mile marker.
Both of these crashes are still under investigation and there is no further information to release at this time. The Marion County Coroner’s Office responded to the scenes and recovered the remains of both deceased individuals. The names of the victims are being withheld at this time to allow for proper notification to family members.
