One dead after morning accident on SR60
One male was killed this morning when a Ford F-150 crashed and burned up on State Road 60 West. One other passenger was ejected from the truck and taken by helicopter ambulance to University of Louisville Hospital.
Police are not releasing the name of the deceased until Washington County Coroner Rondale Brishaber completes his autopsy to identify the body, which was burnt in the accident.
Andew J. Stingel, 27, of Hayes Avenue of Salem was ejected from the Ford F-150.
According to Chief Deputy Sheriff Roger Newlon, Stingel was conscious and able to speak with officers. He was flown by hellicopter ambulance to U of L Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Based on officer’s observations of the crash scene, the was traveling West on State Road 60 west of Powers Road when it drove off the north edge of the roadway.
The driver over-corrected, causing the vehicle to slide sideways across the highway and strike a concrete culvert.
The vehicle overturned several times, stopped on its side and caught on fire.
The license plates and registration information was burnt and police are working to identify who the vehicle belonged to and who exactly was driving.
The accident was reported at approximately 1:36 a.m. to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Indiana State Police, Salem Police, the Washington County EMS, Pierce-Polk Volunteer Fire Department assisted with this accident as well as Trooper Travis Baker, Newlon, Deputy Allen Taylor and Lt. Ryan Larrimore.
Coffee Club Podcast 08-15-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 08-15-2014
Swap Shop Podcast 08-14-2014
Swap Shop Podcast 08-14-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 08-14-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 08-14-2014
Sheriff Combs hospitalized after accident
Today at approximately 2:44 pm, Claude C. Combs, 65, Sheriff of Washington County, crashed his department issued vehicle.
The preliminary investigation revealed Sheriff Combs was travelling west on State Road 60 in rural Washington County, when just west of Henderson Park Road, he experienced a medical issue.
His issued vehicle, a black 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, travelled across the east bound lanes, off of the roadway, striking a ditch and flipping several times before coming to rest.
Sheriff Combs was transported via ground ambulance to the St Vincent Hospital in Salem with non-life threatening injuries.
Sheriff Combs was wearing his seat belt.
Combs, who has been under the weather the past few days, had been running a low-grade fever and had received an antibiotic shot this morning at the county health clinic, according to Chief Deputy Sheriff Roger Newlon.
Newlon said he didn’t look good at the sheriff’s department and Combs noted he was going to go home and try to get some sleep.
Combs’ Chevy Tahoe left the road and flipped over in a ditch.
Newlon said the Indiana State Police are investigating the accident but Combs reported that he blacked out and only remembers he was driving home.
“A virus has been going around and it’s been hard to shake,” said Newlon. He anticipated the Sheriff would be released on Thursday after being observed the rest of this evening.
WSLM will update this story in the morning on the morning news.
Swap Shop Podcast 08-13-2014
Swap Shop Podcast 08-13-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 08-13-2014
Coffee Club Podcast 08-13-2014
Lt. Governor Ellspermann Announces “My Community, My Vision” Initiative
Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann today announced a new initiative to engage high school students in planning for the future of their local rural communities.
The “My Community, My Vision” program invites high school students to submit essays outlining ideas for enhancing the development and quality of life in their home communities through their own research and in consultation with local officials and civic leaders.
Based on the initial essays, five applicants will be selected to develop more formal and detailed plans with assistance of graduate students from the Ball State University School of Urban Planning and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. The five finalists will each receive a $500 award for their sponsoring organization.
The Office of the Lt. Governor is sponsoring the program which is being administered by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and the State Department of Agriculture.
Expressing her support for the initiative, Lt. Governor Ellspermann commented, “Maintaining strong and viable rural communities is important to the future of Indiana, and we need future leaders to begin thinking about their own vision for their city or town. ‘My Community, My Vision’ invites these future decision makers to share their ideas and plans with local officials. By their involvement, student leaders will learn about the planning process and the collaborative efforts required to create an even more vibrant community.”
Organizational support for “My Community, My Vision” is being provided by local high school chapters of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and the Indiana FFA. Application essays are currently being accepted through the My Community, My Vision webpage where additional information is also available. The deadline for the initial essays is 5:00 p.m. on September 12, 2014.
