Police: Alcohol, drugs, speed could have played a role in fatal crash

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (WISH) - Police said alcohol, drugs and speed may have played a role in a car crash that claimed the life of a Brownsburg High School student and injured four others.

The crash happened Saturday morning, near the West Chase golf course in the 6900 block of Hendricks County Road 550 East.

Brownsburg High School teacher Pat O'Neil was one of the first people on the scene seconds after the 17-year-old driver, Chris Hubbard, crashed into a tree.

“When you come across and you recognize a student, young people - and it doesn't matter if they're at our school or any other school - you're there for them,” O’Neil said.

“I just told him, ‘Just relax. We got help coming, we got help coming,’” O’Neil recalled.

Five teens were in the car, and Brownsburg police said only one was wearing a seatbelt. Nathan Gentry, 18, died. Sean Bloomquist, 18, was in critical condition Monday at St. Vincent Hospital. Taylor Lamont, 16, was at Wishard Memorial Hospital on Monday, as was Hubbard. Ian Cherco, 16, has been released from the hospital where he was treated.

Police believe alcohol and drugs could have played a role in the crash, as well as the driver going too fast down a dangerous road.

A passing jogger feared for her own life.

“She had witnessed that vehicle, and she had to move out of the way for it because she felt they were going to strike her as she was jogging,” Sgt. Jennifer Pyatt-Barrett said.

Police are still putting the pieces together, trying to explain such a tragedy.

“I think parents just need to be aware that it's time to educate your children, empower them to make the appropriate decisions,” Pyatt-Barrett said.

O'Neil said he doesn't need to know the reason behind the crash. Regardless, he will now have to live with what he saw that morning as he rushed to the driver’s side.

“He told me, ‘Make sure everyone is OK, and tell them I'm sorry.’ I recognize some of the students. You know,” O’Neil said, trailing off as he struggled to contain his emotions.

When asked if it was something he’d always remember, he replied: “Oh yeah, I've helped out in other accidents and so forth in the past, but it's not people that you know.”

Police are waiting for toxicology results before they hand the case over to prosecutors to decide if charges will be filed.

Gentry was set to walk during graduation this Friday. Brownsburg High School officials said they plan to honor him during the ceremony in some way, but they don't want to glorify the accident.