1 dead, 3 injured in 2-vehicle crash on near-east side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One person died and three others were injured in a Friday afternoon crash on the city’s near-east side.

Firefighters and Indianapolis metropolitan police responded about 5:15 p.m. Friday to the intersection of State and Southeastern avenues for a crash.

Witnesses say a Dodge Avenger was traveling north on State at a high rate of speed and hit a Ford Escape traveling west on Southeastern, Battalion Chief Rita Reith said.

When the cars collided, a passenger in the Escape was ejected, and he landed underneath the overturned Avenger. The man was extricated from underneath the Avenger and taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition, Reith said.

The driver of the Escape and a passenger in the Avenger got out by themselves. They were both taken to Eskenazi in serious condition, Reith said.

The driver of the Avenger did not survive the impact. IMPD is investigating the crash, Reith said.

Reith characterized the crash scene as dramatic, as family members were arriving and crash scene investigators were working to recreate the crash.

When the cars collided, they sheared a high-tension energy pole off the space and pushed it back, leaving it tipping into the crash scene, Reith said.

As of March 5, 2022, the Marion County Coroner’s Office, IMPD nor Indianapolis Fire Department have publicly announced the name of the person who died despite requests from News 8 for the information.