5:15 p.m. update:
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office has identified the 15-year-old victim as Ethan Kuniewicz, Columbus.
Kuniewicz was listed as finishing his freshman year at Columbus North High School and was active in youth hockey in Columbus.
The incident remains under investigation by Indiana State Police, the sheriff’s department and the coroner’s office.
ORIGINAL STORY
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies are investigating an accident at the 73.5 mile marker of the southbound lanes of I-65 in which a 15-year-old Columbus teen was killed.
Deputies were sent to the interstate at 5:20 a.m. Saturday about the accident. Deputies located the deceased 15-year-old male who appeared to have been struck by a semi.
After talking to witnesses, deputies said they believed the 15-year-old male was diving north in a red Honda Odyssey on I-65 and ran off the roadway into the median. It appears, then, for an unknown reason, the male attempted to cross southbound traffic on foot where he was then struck by a southbound semi.
Indiana State Police and sheriff deputies are doing accident reconstruction of the scene.
I-65 was shut down for about three hours.
The family of the 15-year-old has been notified.
“This event is truly a tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families involved. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate this incident to get all the answers possible,” said Sheriff Matt Myers.
Assisting Agencies: German Township Fire Department, CRH EMS, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department, Edinburgh Police Department, Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office.
