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Reckless driving sends driver to hospital with life-threatening injuries
CLOVERDALE — Driving so recklessly that he apparently entered the median to make a pass, a Jeffersonville man suffered life-threatening injuries Thursday morning in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 in eastern Putnam County.
At 11:07 a.m., 55-year-old Martin Samourian was westbound on Interstate 70 near the 42-mile marker.
Witnesses told Indiana State Police investigators that the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette was traveling at excessive speeds and had been weaving in and out of traffic recklessly.
Officers learned that while Samourian was attempting to pass another vehicle, he traveled into the grassy median of I-70.
The excessive speed and the grassy median caused Samourian to lose control of his vehicle, sending him back across both lanes of Interstate 70 westbound, striking a guardrail on the north side.
The vehicle was then thrown back onto the interstate, spinning uncontrollably several times, before coming to a stop in the middle of the westbound lanes.
Samourian was ejected from the vehicle due to failing to wear a seatbelt.
He was transported by Air Evac helicopter to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, with life-threatening injuries.
The crash occurred more than a mile east of the U.S. 231 exit at Cloverdale.
Traffic was closed in both directions from shortly after the time of the crash until the eastbound lanes were reopened around noon.
The westbound lanes remained closed until about 12:45 p.m.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the crash remained under investigation pending toxicology results and reconstruction.
Master Trooper Troy Sunnier is leading the investigation.
Assisting officers and agencies included Senior Trooper Tim Rader, Motor Carrier Inspector Ron Anglin, Putnam County Sheriff's Department, Cloverdale Police Department, Air Evac, Cloverdale Fire Department, Indiana Department of Transportation and Seniour’s Towing.
