Grant County – This afternoon, at approximately 3:34 p.m., officers from the Indiana State Police responded to a six vehicle crash on I-69 near the 268 mile marker, in which six people were injured.
The preliminary crash investigation by Trooper Jeremy Perez revealed that Stephen Knox, 73, Milton FL, was driving a 2011 Toyota Sienna northbound on I-69 near the 268 mile marker. The Toyota was stopping for a traffic backup and was hit from behind by a 2011 Ford E350 passenger van. The van was driven by Mark Knepp, 26, Loogootee, IN. The passenger van had slowed behind the Toyota and was pushed into the back of the Sienna after being rear-ended by a 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis. The Mercury was driven by Joshua Forbes, 20, West Salem, OH.
A Mercury Mariner driven by Timothy Yates, 25, Cottonwood, AZ, struck a 2012 Toyota Corolla in the passenger side and a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country in the left rear portion of the van. Yates was allegedly trying to drive between the Toyota and the Chrysler as all three vehicles drove into the median in an effort to avoid hitting slowed traffic. The Chrysler was driven by Richard Reid, 31, Fishers, IN. The Toyota Corolla was driven by Roy Roberts, 42, Ft. Wayne, IN.
Bethany Brandenburger, 9, and Alex Brandenburger, 11, were both flown from the crash scene by Samaritan Helicopter to Parkview Hospital in Ft. Wayne. They both sustained a head injury and Alex suffered a possible broken leg. They were both passengers in the Ford E350 van. Richard Lengacher, 37, Grabill, IN, and Nancy Brandenburger, age and hometown unknown, were both transported by ambulance to Marion General Hospital. Lengacher suffered a deep cut to his hand and Nancy Brandenburger had a complaint of pain to her hip. They were also passengers in the Ford van. Yates and his passenger, Kirsten Smith, 23, Oak Harbor, OH, were also transported by ambulance to Marion General Hospital. Smith had a complaint of pain while Yates suffered a leg injury. Nancy Brandenburger and Smith are both pregnant. There were no indications that their fetuses were injured. No other participants were transported to hospitals from the crash scene, but numerous individuals had cuts and scrapes checked by paramedics.
This is an ongoing investigation, but at this time neither the use of alcohol nor narcotics is suspected as having contributed to this crash
The Eastbrook Community School Corporation assisted troopers at the crash scene by providing a school van to transport crash participants to a truck stop in Marion, IN, so they could meet up with family members. Five out the six vehicles involved in the crash had to be towed from the scene. .
Trooper Perez was assisted at the crash scene by Master Motor Carrier Inspector Darryl Brane, Master Trooper Bob Good, ISP Sergeant Rick Brown, Trooper Chuck Meyers, Marion General Hospital EMS, Grant County EMS, Grant County Emergency Management, and the Indiana Department of Transportation
One photo attached
