Crash at Little Point I-70 ramp claims life of Martinsville man

LITTLE POINT -- A 53-year-old Morgan County man was fatally injured Saturday night in a two-vehicle accident at the on-ramp to Interstate 70, east of the Putnam-Morgan county line.

At 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Indiana State Police troopers, along with emergency agencies from Putnam and Morgan counties, responded to a crash on Little Point Road at Interstate 70.

The accident claimed the life of Jeffrey A. Rosenbalm of Martinsville, Indiana State Police at Putnamville reported.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe, pulling a camper and driven by Jason L. Stouder, age 35, of Wichita Falls, Texas, had exited eastbound I-70 at the 51-mile marker and stopped for the stopsign at Little Point Road.

Little Point Road, which is also known as County Road 1100 West, travels north and south over I-70.

The Stouder vehicle then proceeded east across Little Point Road in an attempt to enter the eastbound on-ramp of I-70 and was suddenly struck from the side in the left rear by a southbound 1994 Nissan Sentra, driven by Rosenbalm.

Morgan County Deputy Coroner Scott Kelley pronounced the Martinsville man dead at the scene from blunt-force trauma. His seatbelt was in use, authorities said.

Evidence at the crash scene lead troopers to believe the Rosenbalm vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and that alcohol may have been a factor, troopers said. A driver's license check also revealed Rosenbalm was operating his vehicle with no valid license.

Toxicology results are pending and may take up to two weeks for results.

Stouder was not injured nor cited as a result of the accident.

The crash was investigated by ISP Trooper Mike Wood.

Cloverdale police and fire departments and Putnam County Operation Life assisted.