A detached flatbed trailer sitting in a southbound lane of N. Old U.S. Highway 421 led to a fatal crash Friday morning in Decatur County, killing a 59-year-old Shelbyville man whose SUV struck it head-on. The trailer had come loose from a pickup truck moments earlier, and a second vehicle then struck it as well. No other injuries were reported.
According to WTRE Radio, the crash was reported at approximately 7:04 a.m. Friday in the 5000 block of N. Old U.S. Highway 421. A 2012 Ford F-350 driven by 51-year-old Bradley Jon Hughes of Westport was heading northbound while pulling a 20-foot flatbed trailer when the trailer detached for reasons that remain under investigation, the station reports. The trailer came to rest in the southbound lane of the highway.
A southbound 2015 Ford Escape driven by 59-year-old William Dale Blackburn of Shelbyville then struck the detached trailer head-on, per the station's report. A Honda Civic traveling behind the Escape, driven by 28-year-old Nathan Andrew Rump, also of Shelbyville, struck the trailer following the initial collision. Blackburn was pronounced deceased at the scene, and his next of kin have been notified, the same account notes. No other injuries were reported.
Multiple Agencies Responded to the Scene
The crash drew a sizable emergency response. Agencies that responded included the Decatur County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police, Decatur County EMS, Greensburg Fire Department, St. Paul Volunteer Fire Department and Adams Volunteer Fire Department, according to 812Now. WRBI Radio additionally reported that the St. Paul Marshal's Office, Decatur County Coroner's Office, Decatur County Emergency Management, and the Platinum Wrecker Service and Tim's Wrecker Service also assisted at the scene.
Investigation Continues, No Impairment Suspected
Investigators have not yet determined why the trailer detached from the F-350, and the crash remains under investigation. At this time, alcohol or drug use is not suspected to have been a contributing factor, the WTRE Radio report states. WRBI Radio reported that Decatur County first responders extended condolences to Blackburn's family and friends in a statement from the sheriff's office.
