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INDOT truck, pickup collide near fairgrounds

Monday, May 13, 2019
By JARED JERNAGAN, Assistant Editor

Cell phone usage may have contributed to a serious collision on U.S. 231 just south of Waterworks Hill Monday morning.

Larry A. Finch, 45, Ridgeville, was taken to an Indianapolis hospital due to injuries sustained in the crash.

At 8:03 a.m., Finch was southbound in a 2013 Ford F-150 approaching the entrance of the Putnam County Fairgrounds.

A witness told police she had been southbound behind Finch since the U.S. 36 intersection and had seen the pickup cross left of center on several occasions.

As they came down the hill, the witness said he slowed down and crossed into the northbound lane.

Christian J. Parrish, 25, Bainbridge, was northbound in a 2003 International straight truck registered to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Parrish told deputies he saw the pickup travel left of center and braked rapidly while moving to the shoulder of the road.

However, the left front of Finch’s vehicle made heavy left front impact with the INDOT truck, with the pickup ultimately coming to rest facing east in the southbound lane.

The INDOT vehicle came to rest against the east guardrail with heavy damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Finch was trapped inside the pickup and had to be extricated. He was then transported from to an Indianapolis hospital by Putnam County Operation Life.

While assisting with the effort, Greencastle Police Sgt. Ed Wilson located a phone inside Finch’s vehicle, finding evidence that it may have been in use at the time of the crash.

An investigation is ongoing by Deputy Matt Biggs of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. Biggs was also assisted at the scene by Chief Deputy Matt Demmings and Deputy Josh Boller.

Both Parrish and another person inside the INDOT truck were taken from the scene for precautionary measures. Neither showed signs of serious injury.

The road remained closed for several hours as workers retrieved the INDOT truck and the equipment it was carrying and pulling.

NOTE: An earlier online version of this story contained erroneous information. Finch was not airlifted, but was taken to Indianapolis by ambulance.

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  • My prayers are with all and their families.

    -- Posted by interestedperson#1 on Mon, May 13, 2019, at 7:34 PM
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    "While assisting with the effort, Greencastle Police Sgt. Ed Wilson located a phone inside Finch’s vehicle, finding evidence that it may have been in use at the time of the crash."

    This (looking for evidence of phone usage) should be procedure in every one of these accidents.

    Indiana must quit playing coy with distracted driving laws and put some real consequence at the end of these situations.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Tue, May 14, 2019, at 11:01 AM

  • Distracted driving causing property damage, injury, or serious injury should be treated under Indiana code just like a DUI causing property damage, injury, or serious injury would be-prison time, not just a mere fine. It's time we get the dialogue started on this. Actually it's past time.

    -- Posted by Koios on Tue, May 14, 2019, at 12:39 PM

  • Instead of making laws against cell phone usage while driving I have emailed senators on several occasions to force auto makers to install signal blockers in vehicles eliminating cell phone usage inside a vehicle. Want to use your phone, get out of the vehicle.

    -- Posted by tksutherlin11 on Wed, May 15, 2019, at 5:14 AM

  • tksutherlin11,

    So passengers won't be able to use their phones? And you can't use Blutooth? Also, how exactly do you plan on blocking apps that are stored locally on your phone and don't require cell connection? I also don't think that there are any changes to the law that are needed. If you are distracted driving it would seem to me that already falls under reckless driving in the current law. Also, insurance companies should be able to decline coverage of your vehicle (not whomever you hit), cancel your policy, and render you basically un-insurable if this is proven.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Wed, May 15, 2019, at 8:54 AM
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    Here is my suggestion (b/c it is has been fairly effective):

    "Nevada cell phone law prohibiting hand-held cellphone use and texting while driving is now in effect.The fine amounts are $50 for the first offense in seven years, $100 for the second and $250 for the third and subsequent offenses. These fines are subject to doubling if the offense occur in a work zone.

    The first offense is not treated as a moving violation for DMV and insurance purposes. Second and subsequent offenses carry 4 demerit points."

    If you are seen with a phone in your hand, you can (and probably will be) pulled over and ticketed.

    If you are seen looking down repeatedly (a give away to distracted drivers reading/sending texts), you can (and proabably will be) pulled over and ticketed.

    And while I agree with hometown boy that signal blockers for vehicles is not the answer - changes are needed.

    How many articles have been written in the last 6 months or so, just on the BG website, where distracted driving has been a (likely, but unreported) contributing factor in a number of vehicle crashes. (They are not accidents... they are incidents caused by inattentiveness.)

    The insurance companies?? LOL

    The insurance companies are built to make money. When you are FORCED to have insurance in order to drive, they have a ready-made market. And since they are wagering on you (as a driver), they can charge you more if you are a bad driver. Why would they cancel you? Its unlikely that a single bad driver will cost them too much money. Added to the fact that insurance companies have caps on their coverage. Just b/c you have used all your coverage doesn't mean that you don't have to pay for insurance... you just have to pay more. Which is more money in their pocket. You would have to cost them a whole lot of money before they would consider you un-insurable.

    I have said many times on here that I drive an hour each way to/from work every day and witness first hand many people driving distracted b/c of their phones. I have been in several near-hit incidents from people crossing lane lines. I have been inconvenienced b/c people brake check and drive slowly b/c they are on their phones.

    Indiana law is vague and squishy with no real enforcement.

    Driving is a privilege, not a right. And until something serious is done to strengthen the laws against distracted driving people will continue to be hurt and property damage will continue to incur with very little consequence.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Wed, May 15, 2019, at 9:38 AM
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