Monday morning, November 25, at approximately 11:30, Indiana State Police and Pike County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two-vehicle crash that injured two people and closed SR 61 for nearly two hours.
Preliminary investigation revealed Joshua Miller, 18, of Petersburg, was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck northbound on SR 61 approximately ½ mile south of CR 800 South when he fell asleep and drove left of center. Christopher Hadfield, 33, of Elberfeld, was driving his 2000 Sterling tractor-trailer southbound on SR 61 and observed the pickup truck driving left of center. Hadfield attempted to avoid the pickup truck by driving partially off the roadway, but the pickup truck collided into the trailer’s left rear axle. After the initial collision, the pickup truck spun around and came to a final rest on the east side of S.R. 61. Miller was taken to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville where he is currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries. Miller’s passenger, Emily Jacobs, 22, of Huntingburg, was taken to Jasper Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released. The pickup truck Miller was driving was totaled. Hadfield was not injured. Everyone involved in the crash was wearing seat belts. The highway was closed for approximately two hours while troopers investigated the crash.
