Deputies with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department responded to two rollover incidents Tuesday evening that involved injuries to Columbus residents.
At about 5:50 p.m, deputies responded to the 2000 block of North County Road 325W in reference to a traffic accident. Upon arrival, a vehicle was located along the east side of North 325W. It was inverted and appeared to have rolled over multiple times, said Judy Jackson, spokesperson for the sheriff’s department.
The female driver, identified as Vanessa Lewis, 33, Columbus, was flown to Methodist Hospital by Lifeline medical helicopter. Two juvenile passengers were transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for minor injuries.
An IU Health Methodist Hospital spokesperson said Lewis was in serious condition.
The initial investigation showed that the vehicle was traveling northbound on North 325W when, for an unknown reason, it left the roadway. After returning to the road, it appeared that the driver may have overcorrected and the vehicle again left the roadway, causing it to overturn multiple times, Jackson said.
North 325W was closed for about one hour during cleanup, Jackson said.
Capt. Dave Steinkoenig, road patrol commander with the sheriff’s department, said that while speed has not been determined to be the cause of the crash, North 325W is a busy roadway and speed continues to be an issue. The speed limits are 45 and 50 mph along the roadway.
“Deputies have increased patrols on this particular road. However, we can’t be there 24/7,” Steinkoenig said.
At about 8:06 p.m, deputies responded to the area of Southern Crossing and County Road 150E for a single-vehicle crash. A man was lying in the roadway and a 2001 Jeep Wrangler appeared to have roll-over damage, Jackson said.
The driver, identified as Jeremy Dance, 27, was transported to Methodist Hospital by Lifeline. A juvenile passenger was uninjured, Jackson said.
A condition update for Dance was not immediately available.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation, Jackson added.
