Cloverdale woman dies following Monday accident

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

CLOVERDALE -- A 76-year-old woman passed at an Indianapolis hospital away following a Monday evening accident in southern Putnam County.

Meriam A. Miller of Cloverdale died at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, from a circulatory ailment that likely caused her wreck.

Miller was northbound on U.S. 231 just north of the Owen County line at around 8:45 p.m. when her 2003 Chevrolet Tracker left the roadway.

Sheriff's Deputy T.J. Smith said it appeared at the scene as if Miller had suffered a stroke, a suspicion later confirmed by a Putnam County Hospital doctor.

A witness told Smith the vehicle swerved back and forth a few times before going off the edge of the road. The vehicle then went into the ditch and partway up the hill on the other side before rolling back onto its top.

Smith classified it as a "soft rollover," in that no glass was broken and Miller suffered no visible injuries from the crash, despite not wearing a safety belt.

Deputies Smith and Philip Troyer found Miller unresponsive on the ceiling of the vehicle. Neither deputy could detect breathing or a pulse.

Smith had a pulse when Operation Life responders transported her to Putnam County Hospital.

However, doctors at Putnam County and St. Vincent could get Miller's condition stabilized.

The Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department also worked on removing Miller from her vehicle.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: