Rockville man airlifted following Saturday crash

UNION CHAPEL — A Rockville man was airlifted from the scene of a serious single-vehicle accident in western Putnam County on Saturday night.

According to a witness and evidence at the scene, 41-year-old Joseph E. Cochran was driving westbound at an extremely high rate of speed on U.S. 36.

About 1,000 feet west of County Road 600 West, his 2013 Dodge Charger left the north side of the road and entered the ditch.

Deputy Jeffery Freeman reported that the car traveled along the ditch for about 150 feet before hitting a driveway embankment and going airborne.

While in the air, the car hit a tree approximately six feet above the ground and spun around. It finally came to rest facing southbound approximately 75 feet off the roadway.

Cochran was taken by ambulance to a landing site, from which he was flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Freeman did not know the full nature of his injuies.

The deputy reported that Cochran was not wearing a seat belt but that the front and side airbags deployed.

A witness in another vehicle said the car pulled out behind her and was driving recklessly., following too closely and passing unsafely.

She said the car passed her and another vehicle and accelerated quickly out of site. She then arrived at the scene of the crash.