COLUMBUS, Ind. — Indiana State Police said a Tennessee man was seriously injured after being struck by a motorcycle while trying to provide aid to a second motorcyclist who had been involved in a previous crash on I-65 in southern Bartholomew County.
The initial investigation by Sgt. Adam Bullock, Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, indicated that a bicycle had possibly fallen from a vehicle traveling southbound on I-65 near the 59-mile marker, said Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, ISP spokesman.
The bicycle was lying in the far left lane of I-65 southbound when it was struck by at least two southbound passenger vehicles. Both vehicles, one of which was driven by Jonathan Brown, age 27, Lebanon, Tennessee, pulled to the shoulder of I-65 due to receiving damage from striking the bicycle.
A group of motorcyclists, who were traveling together, then approached the bicycle that was still in the roadway. One of the motorcyclists, Leslie D. Spillman, 62, Lexington, Kentucky, struck the bicycle and crashed his 2008 Kawasaki motorcycle, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. Brown then left his vehicle on foot to assist Spillman. A 2004 Honda motorcycle, being operated by Darrell Brooks, 39, Lexington, Kentucky, had passed the bicycle prior to Spillman’s crash. After seeing that Spillman had crashed, Brooks then turned around and began traveling northbound on the southbound shoulder to respond to his crash.
Brooks’ motorcycle then struck Brown while he walked towards Spillman. Brown sustained serious injuries in the collision. He was flown by medical helicopter to a Louisville hospital for treatment of his injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.
The investigation remains ongoing at this time. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the collision.
Troopers from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post were assisted in the investigation by Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
