Photo provided Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies and Hope police investigate a fatal accident on North State Road 46 on Thursday morning.
A local man was killed in an accident in the 2000 block of North State Road 46 at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
Bartholomew County Sheriff Capt. David Steinkoenig and Hope Town Marshal Matt Tallent located a victim partially ejected from the vehicle, later identified as Kevin Burton, 50, of Columbus, deputies said.
Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said Burton was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma to the chest and cervical spine.
Based on witness statements, deputies said an SUV being driven by Tammy Janes, 53, of Hope, was traveling southbound on State Road 46 just south of its intersection with State Road 9 as Burton, who was driving a pickup truck, was following behind.
As the two drivers were traveling down the roadway, an SUV driven by Tracy Toddy, 32, of Hope, allegedly crossed the center line for an unknown reason, deputies said.
Based on witness statements, deputies said Toddy’s vehicle struck Janes’ vehicle on the driver’s side rear bumper but continued into the oncoming lane and struck Burton’s vehicle. After the collision, Burton’s vehicle came to rest on its side with Burton entrapped underneath the vehicle, deputies said.
Janes was uninjured and Toddy was flown to Indianapolis for unknown injuries, deputies said.
An investigation is continuing into the accident.
