Driver airlifted from U.S. 40 accident with serious injuries

About 8 a.m. Thursday, Putnam County emergency responders were dispatched to a report of a serious motor vehicle accident on U.S. 40 near the Putnam-Hendricks county line.

Prior to the accident an observant motorist had called law enforcement, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department noted, to report a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed westbound on U.S. 40, east of Mt. Meridian.

Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the area in an attempt to intercept the speeding vehicle. Before officers could arrive, however, the driver lost control, crashing the SUV near the area of County Road 725 East.

Officers arrived on scene shortly thereafter and emergency personnel all worked to extricate the driver from the vehicle.

Stat Flight helicopter was called in to transport the driver who sustained serious injuries. U.S. 40 was shut down to provide a landing zone but reopened by 10:15 a.m.

Indiana State Police officers are investigating the accident.

Also on the scene were Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Cloverdale Police, Fillmore Community Volunteer Fire Department and Putnam County Operation Life personnel.

No other details were available at presstime.