Sheriff’s Office Investigating A Pair Of Injurious Crashes
CASE # 18-61860
 On April 5th, 2018 at15:54 hours Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies and the McCutchanville Fire Department were dispatched to the intersection of Saint Joseph Avenue and Westchester Drive in reference to a motor vehicle accident involving injury. Deputies arrived to find a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle lying in the southbound lane, with its operator appearing to be seriously injured. The second vehicle involved was a black 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. The driver of the Tahoe nor her two children were reportedly injured.
The investigation revealed that the prior to the crash the motorcycle was traveling north on Saint Joseph Avenue when traffic in front of her came to a normal stop. Witnesses reported that the motorcycle swerved from the right lane into the left lane, and then back into the right lane before it rear-ended the stopped Tahoe. The driver of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The full extent of the injuries is unknown at this time; however, they appeared to be quite serious at the time of the investigation.
Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, involved drivers shall be requested to consent to a post-crash blood draw to determine whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. One driver consented to the blood draw; whereas the driver of the motorcycle was unable to provide consent for a blood sample to be taken. As a result, a warrant was sought and granted to obtain the sample for submission to the Indiana Department of Toxicology. The crash will remain under investigation pending toxicology results. The preliminary investigation revealed that alcohol appears to have played a role in this collision.
Besides warning of the obvious dangers of impaired driving the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office urges all motorcyclists to follow the advice of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) by always wearing a helmet meeting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218. When purchasing a helmet be sure to look for the DOT symbol on the outside back of the helmet.
FOOTNOTE: The driver of the 2003 Harley Davidson- 48-year-old Dawn Lynette Evans of Evansville
The driver of the 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe- 40-year-old Stacy Nicole Navarrette of Evansville
CASE # 18-61866
Approximately three hours later Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Scott Township Fire Department were dispatched to Baseline Rd. and Husky Way in reference to another motor vehicle collision involving injuries. Deputies arrived to find a white 2015 Honda Civic had collided with a blue 1994 GMC Sierra. Witnesses on scene advised the driver of the Honda failed to yield the right of way by turning west onto Baseline Rd. from Husky Way into the path of the GMC truck that was traveling east on Baseline Rd.
Responding deputies believed that both drivers lost consciousness and that one of the drivers sustained a broken bone in the lower leg. Both drivers were transported to area hospitals by ambulance for potentially serious injuries. Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, both drivers consented to a post-crash blood draw for toxicology screening. The crash will remain under investigation pending toxicology results. Based on the preliminary investigation deputies do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision.
FOOTNOTE: The driver of the 2015 Honda Civic- 16-year-old Juvenile of Evansville
The driver of the 1994 GMC Sierra- 33-year-old Christopher Gross of Evansville
