Poland man dead, wife critically injured in early-morning Saturday crash
CLOVERDALE — A Poland man was killed early Saturday morning in a fiery crash just east of Cloverdale.
The deceased man’s wife was critically injured in the crash.
At 12:25 a.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene of a car that had flipped into a pole on County Road 1000 South just east of Cloverdale. Reports also indicated that people were trapped in the vehicle.
Indiana State Police were the first on the scene and began CPR on a man, later identified as 36-year-old Curtis Keesee.
Keesee was later pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
His wife Heather Keesee, 30, was transported by StatFlight helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
Heather Keesee was considered to be in critical condition.
Investigators say the vehicle was eastbound at a high rate of speed when Keesee apparently lost control, rolling over several times and striking a utility pole in the process.
The vehicle caught fire and was extinguished by the Cloverdale Township Fire Department.
Emergency responders had to extricate both people from the vehicle, though Curtis Keesee ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Seat belts were not in use by either person.
The car was registered to Richard Baldwin of Cloverdale.
An investigation into contributing factors is ongoing by Putnam County deputies Riley Houghton and Robert Soilleux.
Indiana State Police are assisting with accident reconstruction.
Additional responders included Putnam County Operation Life, the Putnam County Coroner’s Office, Hendricks Power Cooperative and Curtis Towing.
Curtis Keesee’s body was transported to Terre Haute for an autopsy.