A Brown County man died as a result of injuries suffered in a multi-vehicle accident on the city’s west side.
Patrick Neal Bowman, 35, died at the scene of Saturday night’s accident on Jonathan Moore Pike at Johnson Boulevard, Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said Sunday in a news release. He ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the chest.
A 911 call reported the accident at 7:40 p.m. at 2355 West Jonathan Moore Pike, the address for Starbucks, but the accident actually occurred in front of Circle K, located at 2415 W. Jonathan Moore Pike, said Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.
The accident involved a tow truck and five passenger vehicles and closed the eastbound lane of Jonathan Moore Pike/State Road 46 West for about 3½ hours, Harris said.
A tow truck that was carrying another vehicle struck a Mazda passenger car driven by Bowman and caused a chain reaction of accidents with the other vehicles, Harris said.
Emergency personnel had to work to free Bowman, Harris said.
Bowman’s fiancée, Sarah Fliehman, 25, of Brown County, was a passenger in the Mazda and suffered a head injury and was transported initially to Columbus Regional Hospital and then to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment, Harris said.
While police and emergency responders were working at the crash scene, an intoxicated driver ran into the police car of Officer Ben Quesenbery at about 9:50 p.m., causing serious damage to the vehicle, Harris said. However, Quesenbery was not in his vehicle when it was struck and was not injured, Harris added.
Everyone knows that drinking and driving do not mix but some people do it anyway. We will say it again, if your plans involve alcohol, please designate a sober driver or take a taxi. It's easier to fix a damaged car than to mend a broken family. #itsjustnotworthit pic.twitter.com/SqBUDLiSHx
— Columbus IN Police (@Columbus_Police) January 29, 2018
The crash site was cleared at 11:10 p.m. Saturday, allowing the eastbound lane to reopen for traffic.
Accident reconstructionists were at the scene Saturday and additional work was completed Sunday morning, Harris said.
Arrangements for Bowman are pending at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home.
See Tuesday’s Republic for updates.
