A Crothersville couple, married two months ago, died in a four-vehicle accident that left U.S. 50 east of Seymour closed for nearly three hours Friday night.
Tiffany Willhite, 25, was driving her husband, Christopher Lee Muncy, 27, to work when their car was struck by an oncoming vehicle, according to a report by Indiana State Police Trooper Seth Davidson and the woman’s mother, Tanya Kay Willhite.
The accident, near County Road 1225E, was reported at 4:37 p.m. Friday.
Chelsea Bowling, 27, of Seymour was treated for a leg injury and taken by personnel with Jackson County Emergency Medical Services to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Davidson said. She was later flown to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, according to the police report.
According to the preliminary investigation, the accident began when a 2007 Ford 150 pickup driven east on U.S. 50 by Larry Jacobs, 65, of Commiskey slowed because a motorist in front of him was making a turn.
Bowling, driving east in a red 1997 Chevrolet Silverado, hit the rear of Jacobs’ truck, Davidson said. The truck then crossed the centerline and hit the brown 1999 Hyundai that Willhite was driving westbound.
The Silverado pushed the Hyundai off the road and into a ditch, police said. The truck then landed on top of the Hyundai, leading to the deaths of Willhite and Muncy, Davidson said.
A 2012 Chevrolet van being driven east on U.S. 50 by Jacob Simmons 32, of Seymour then struck a tool box, which had come off of the Silverado.
Jacobs and Simmons did not report any injuries.
The mother of Tiffany Willhite has established a GoFundMe account to raise money for her daughter’s funeral. Tanya Kay Willhite said she does not have the money to bury her daughter, who left behind a 6-year-old son, Brian Smith II, and a 3-year-old daughter, Baylie Willhite.
Tanya Willhite said Muncy was the father of Baylie Willhite.
Police said Willhite had a North Vernon address, but according to a marriage license issued by the Jackson County Clerk’s office on April 24, both she and Muncy shared a rural Crothersville home.
Toxicology results are pending.
