Woman airlifted, three others injured, in Waterworks Hill crash

Monday, February 18, 2019 ~ Updated 8:05 PM
Accident scene on Waterworks Hill Monday afternoon

A Greencastle woman had to be extricated and flown to an Indianapolis hospital following a two-vehicle crash on Waterworks Hill shortly after noon on Monday.

A Crawfordsville man and two children in his car were taken to Putnam County Hospital by ambulance.

Multiple emergency agencies were dispatched to Waterworks Hill at 12:04 p.m. for what was described as a serious crash with one overturned vehicle.

Lt. Donnie Pettit of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department reported that 18-year-old Shellby Hook was northbound up the hill in the passing lane of U.S. 231 in a 2005 Toyota Scion when she lost control for an unknown reason.

The vehicle rotated counterclockwise and began to cross the southbound lane, entering the path of a southbound 2014 Dodge Dart driven by 30-year-old Joshua Beauchamp of Crawfordsville.

Pettit said Beauchamp veered to the right in an attempt to avoid a collision but could not, as he broadsided Hook’s vehicle in the passenger door area.

Both vehicles came to rest in the ditch on the west side of the road, with Beauchamp’s vehicle on its roof.

Hook was extricated from her vehicle and airlifted to Indianapolis by a St. Vincent StatFlight helicopter, which had already been called to a landing area at the Putnam County Fairgrounds.

Beauchamp and his two passengers, a three-year-old and a four-year-old, were taken to Putnam County Hospital.

As of late Monday afternoon, Pettit did not have an update on any of their conditions.

Officers are also still unclear on what caused Hook to lose control.

“It’s too early to tell what happened,” Pettit said. “We just know that she lost control and that’s it for now.”

Although temperatures were below freezing at the time, there was no precipitation in the area on Monday.

Besides Pettit and other sheriff’s deputies, the Greencastle Fire Department, Putnam County Operation Life and Indiana State Police responded to the scene.

Indiana Department of Transportation crews were also called to shut down U.S. 231 from the fairgrounds to north of the hill. The closure remained in place for about an hour.

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  • My prayers go out for the young lady as well as the people in the other vehicle.

    -- Posted by interestedperson#1 on Tue, Feb 19, 2019, at 8:09 AM
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    Check her phone.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Tue, Feb 19, 2019, at 8:44 AM
  • So sad that whenever there is an accident the first comment is 'check their phone'. Maybe people should realize many issues could cause an accident. Perhaps medical. Prayers going out to all involved.

    -- Posted by Nit on Tue, Feb 19, 2019, at 3:15 PM
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    NIT - It was actually the second comment.

    I drive an hour to work and an hour home 5 days a week for almost 10 years. I have been driving for 30+ years.

    B/c of Indiana's lax cellphone use while driving laws, I have seen more than my share of distracted drivers.

    I am not saying it WAS the cause of the accident, I am saying that any prudent investigation should include checking the phone...as it was LIKELY the cause of the accident. You have to play the odds. 18 Y.O. female in a car crash...better odds are on distracted driving.

    But sure, prayers for all involved.

    I pray for the little children who went through this. I pray for the guy minding his own business that ended up upside down in the ditch.

    And I pray that if I am right - this lady will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Tue, Feb 19, 2019, at 3:45 PM
  • That is a heck of a thing to pray for!! People are seriously injured and in the hospital and you're praying for someone to get "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law?" Where's your humanity and compassion?

    -- Posted by gustave&zelma on Tue, Feb 19, 2019, at 8:12 PM
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    My humanity and compassion are for those innocents who through no fault of their own were in this accident.

    I have seen too many people injured or killed b/c of drunk drivers and distracted drivers to have any compassion for those that put other people at risk for their own selfish interests.

    If I am wrong and this young lady had absolutely no contribution to this accident - then I hope she mends.

    But again, I am going to play the odds.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Wed, Feb 20, 2019, at 9:29 AM
  • So sad. Accusations and judgements should never be made. Who's to say the young lady was also an 'innocent' as you put it. Comments to the negative only hurt and should be kept to oneself instead of postings like this.

    -- Posted by Nit on Wed, Feb 20, 2019, at 2:56 PM
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    Not accusations and judgments... a call for a complete investigation and wagers on the truth.

    I said check her phone - as a matter of a complete investigation. (Instead of simply dismissing it as "accident - no known cause".)

    I said IF she is guilty (which I am wagering her actions were contributory to the incident) - then I hope she is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    I said IF she is truly innocent (which I am wagering against) - then I hope she mends.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Wed, Feb 20, 2019, at 4:29 PM
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