A driver was killed Sunday evening after being ejected from a Dodge truck that lost control near railroad tracks in southeastern Vigo County, according to authorities. The rollover crash happened around 5:30 p.m. near Woodsmall Drive and Doberman Street, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies were dispatched to the scene of the rollover crash in that area at that time, according to mywabashvalley.com. A witness told the outlet that a Dodge truck was headed eastbound on Woodsmall Drive, approaching the railroad tracks, when it appeared to accelerate over them. Authorities said the railroad crossing lights were activated at that point and the driver lost control, the report states.
The driver was ejected from the vehicle at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene, the outlet reported. Woodsmall Drive was closed for a period of time following the crash but has since reopened, according to the same report.
Indiana’s transportation agency says drivers must stop when flashing lights warn of an approaching train and may not cross until it has passed or emergency personnel direct them to proceed. The state’s railroad-crossing guidance provides general safety rules; it does not establish what caused this truck to lose control or determine fault in the crash.
Sheriff's Office Statement
The Vigo County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Derek Fell, confirmed the rollover crash near Woodsmall Drive and Doberman Street in a Facebook post shared early Monday. The office said no further information would be released at this time and extended condolences to the deceased driver's family.
A Second Deadly Crash Nearby
The stretch of southeastern Vigo County has seen tragedy before. A separate crash at East Woodsmall Drive and State Road 159, south of Riley, killed Robert and Kathleen Robinson, both 74 and residents of Jasonville, the same news outlet previously reported. In that crash, both occupants of an SUV were declared deceased at the scene by EMS, while two occupants of a truck were transported to a local hospital for treatment, and Chief Deputy Steve Meng said the crash remained under investigation after a reconstruction team was called in.
No additional details about Sunday's crash, including the cause of the driver losing control, have been released. Authorities have indicated that no further information will be shared at this time.
Indiana recorded 118 highway-rail grade-crossing collisions, including 11 fatalities, in preliminary 2025 figures. Those totals cover collisions involving trains at crossings, as defined in Federal Railroad Administration crossing data; they do not establish that a train was involved in Sunday’s reported rollover near the tracks or describe the crash history at this specific crossing.
