A fatal hit-and-run involving 49-year-old Shawn Edward Crabtree occurred on U.S. 150 near Fredericksburg in October 2024. Investigators say a vehicle struck him and fled sometime the night before, leaving behind only broken parts and debris as clues.
The Washington County Sheriff's Department identified Crabtree as the victim. The Washington County Coroner's Office declared him dead, per the sheriff's department.
Debris at the Scene, No Time of Death Confirmed
Investigators recovered vehicle parts and impact debris at the location, and Indiana State Police personnel assisted in examining and collecting that evidence, the sheriff's department said. A precise time of death has not been established, but Naugle said the incident is believed to have occurred sometime after 9:30 p.m. the previous night, the department's report noted.
That timeline lines up with a separate detail investigators shared: witnesses reported seeing Crabtree hitchhiking along U.S. 150 in neighboring Harrison County around 9:30 p.m., not long before he was apparently struck. The department has not said whether that sighting has been connected to a specific vehicle or suspect, and the case remains under investigation per the same report.
Community Mourns a Fredericksburg Native
Crabtree was from Fredericksburg and a graduate of West Washington High School, according to his obituary posted by Love Funeral Home. He is survived by his father, Chester L. Crabtree Sr.; his brother, Chester Crabtree Jr.; his sisters, Angie Huckeby and Tammy Compton; his daughter, Cheyenne Durbin; and his grandson, Weston Durbin, the obituary states. His family chose a private cremation, with Love Funeral Home overseeing the arrangements.
The Washington County Indiana Sheriffs Department has continued appealing to the public for help identifying what happened on U.S. 150 that night. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's department at 812-883-5999 and ask for Detective Brad Naugle; callers may remain anonymous.
A Broader Pattern on Indiana Roads
Pedestrian Safety Crabtree's death underscores the dangers pedestrians face on Indiana roads.
