COLUMBUS, Ind. — A local man was arrested Friday in regards to his alleged involvement in a fatal crash that occurred earlier this month.
Columbus police were sent to the area of Seventh Street and Central Avenue at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 8 about a multi-vehicle crash with injuries, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman. Prior to the crash, witnesses reported seeing a truck
that was driven by Kevin W. Shuffitt, 21, of Columbus, traveling at a high rate of speed.
Shuffitt is accused of crashing into the back of a vehicle on Seventh Street near Cottage Avenue and then colliding with the vehicle a second time, then continuing into the intersection of Seventh Street and Central Avenue where Shuffitt’s truck struck a third vehicle, Harris said.
Jeremy O. Stillabower, 44, of Columbus, the front seat passenger in the third vehicle was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for medical treatment and later died from injuries he sustained in the crash, Harris said.
Formal criminal charges against Shuffitt were filed by the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office on Nov. 19 and Shuffitt was taken into custody by CPD officers. He was remanded to the Bartholomew County Jail where he was being held without bond on the following charges:
–Criminal recklessness (Level 5 Felony)
–Criminal recklessness (Level 6 Felony)
–Criminal recklessness (Level 6 Felony)
–Reckless driving (Class A Misdemeanor)
–Driving While Suspended with a prior conviction (Class C Misdemeanor)
Shuffitt was also arrested on the following warrants: Violation of Pretrial Release-Failure to Comply on current charges, robbery resulting in bodily injury (Level 3 Felony), unlawful possession of a syringe (Level 6 Felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia (Class C Misdemeanor).
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
