Staker
By Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal
ncrenshaw@dailyjournal.net
For The Republic
FRANKLIN — A Columbus man is accused of being under the influence of drugs and driving at least 100 mph when he crashed into a Franklin man’s car, killing him.
Jerrin Alan Staker, 43, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, causing death, a Level 4 felony, for the July 6 crash. Staker’s Jeep collided with the passenger car driven by Braden Christopher Robertson, a 29-year-old who moved to Franklin one month ago from Fairfield, Illinois. Robertson died in the crash.
Robertson
At about 7:59 p.m. on July 6, Franklin Police officers were called to a serious vehicle collision at U.S. 31 and Commerce Drive involving two vehicles. Dispatchers later informed officers that a 911 call had been received for the speeding Jeep, but they were unable to broadcast the traffic investigation before they started getting calls about the crash, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday in Johnson Superior Court 3.
Witnesses at the scene reported that Staker appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed from the north when he struck Robertson’s vehicle — with some estimating Staker had been going at least 100 mph in the 50 mph zone. A 911 caller had said they saw Staker’s Jeep going southbound, and that it was speeding and swerving into the median. The Jeep had run two red lights before the crash, according to the affidavit.
Staker allegedly used the shoulder/right turn lane to avoid cars stopped at the red light at Commerce Drive and U.S. 31. He then collided with Robertson’s vehicle, which was turning left onto Commerce Drive, the affidavit says.
The impact caused both vehicles to be dragged south of the intersection, coming to a rest in front of Buffalo Wild Wings. There were no other occupants in either vehicle, police say.
Robertson was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses helped Staker get out of his vehicle, which was on fire. One witness told police Staker was acting high, the affidavit says.
The witness told Staker he had “just ‘taken’ someone’s life.” Staker then rolled to his side in the fetal position and began moaning, according to the affidavit.
Video footage reviewed by investigators showed Staker driving at least twice as fast as the normal flow of traffic on U.S. 31 in Whiteland, before the crash in Franklin. Audio from a camera at the Whiteland Veterans of Foreign Wars post captured a loud “whooshing sound” as Staker drove by, according to the affidavit.
Franklin Police searched Staker’s Jeep and found a clear plastic baggie with a green leafy substance, presumed to be marijuana, and several syringes. Medics, who were about to transport Staker to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of his injuries, later told police that Staker had admitted that he had used heroin, marijuana and spice, the affidavit shows.
Staker’s blood was later drawn for analysis by the Indiana State Police, the results of which were not listed in the affidavit.
Staker was arrested on a warrant and taken to the Johnson County jail after he was released from the hospital on Saturday, said Kirby Cochran, Franklin police chief. He is held without bond at the jail.
Robertson recently moved to Franklin. His friends and family were “so proud of him for getting a new job and moving to a new area,” according to the description of a GoFundMe set up by Kylee Robertson, the older sister of Braden Robertson.
Kylee Robertson added that she and her family are blessed to know that his dog Hank, who was his best friend, was not in the crash. They will be bringing Hank back to Illinois and “giving him the love and life Braden gave to him,” the description says.
More than $8,000 has been raised so far. To donate to the GoFundMe, go to gofund.me/6cbde8b0.
Robertson’s funeral is set for Saturday at Enterprise Community Church in Cisne, Illinois. For more information on his services, go to frankandbright.com/obituaries/obit/1736/.
