Staff Reports
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office identified a Bedford driver as the victim who died Saturday in a fiery crash on I-65 south of State Road 46 in Columbus.
Coroner Clayton Nolting said dental records were used to identify Kayze Danielle Gilstrap, 25, of Bedford.
Gilstrap was one of the registered owners of the 2008 Pontiac G5 that was reportedly backing up in the left lane of northbound I-65 near the 67 mile marker in a construction zone prior to the crash, according to Columbus police.
When Columbus firefighters arrived at the scene of the 4:45 p.m. Saturday accident, they reported Gilstrap’s car was fully engulfed in flames. Gilstrap was pronounced dead at the scene and positive identification was pending until Monday afternoon when the dental records were used for identification.
The crash is being investigated by Columbus Police Department.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Gilstrap was backing up, traveling south in the left northbound lane toward a crossover, when Gilstrap’s vehicle was struck by an SUV traveling north in the left lane of the interstate, resulting in Gilstrap’s car catching fire, police said.
The driver of the SUV, Vanessa Rosborough, 31, Indianapolis was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger with Rosborough, Emily McNiff, 28, Fishers, was transported by Lifeline helicopter to Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis.
The northbound lanes of I-65 were closed for nearly four hours after the accident.
