Johnson County I-65 crash claims life of 3-year-old

A serious accident on Interstate 65 south of the Franklin exit caused both the north and southbound lanes to close temporarily Tuesday. Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal

FRANKLIN, Ind. — An accident at the 86 mile marker of the northbound lanes of I-65 claimed the life of a 3-year-old, who was entrapped in a car seat in the back of a heavily-damaged passenger car.

Indiana State Police said the accident happened at 9:47 a.m. Tuesday after a disabled vehicle partially in the left lane of the northbound lanes was struck.

When emergency responders arrived they located a young child entrapped in a car seat in back seat of a heavily damaged passenger car. The child was extricated and emergency life saving efforts ensued. The child was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced deceased. Two adults were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Indiana State Police crash reconstructionists determined a passenger car had pulled to the left side of the roadway and stopped for unknown reasons, that vehicle was partially in the left lane. A northbound pick-up truck struck the rear end of the stationary car. The driver of the car and the driver of the pick-up truck both suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The northbound lanes of I-65 were closed for nearly four hours while the crash was investigated and wreckage was removed. The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information to release at this time, state police said.

The Indiana State Police were assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin Fire Department, SEALS Ambulance Service, the Indiana Department of Transportation.