Ripley County: The investigation is continuing into the fatal crash that claimed the lives of three South Ripley High School students last Thursday morning. Investigators interviewed two of the surviving teens and determined that both vehicles left the event at the Hopewell Church a few minutes apart, but neither driver knew the other had left. The 1999 Dodge Ram drove west on Hopewell Road away from the church because of the volume of other vehicles parked in the area near the driveway to the parking lot making it difficult for a vehicle the size of the Dodge Ram to negotiate a left turn and go east on Hopewell Road to CR 850W (the most direct route). This information explains why students leaving the same event went different directions. A short time after the Dodge Ram left, the occupants of the 1996 Ford F250 departed and drove directly to CR 850W and turned north. Investigators have determined the vehicles left at different times and each was driver unaware of the other leaving. This eliminates speculation the drivers were engaged in a race.
Under Indiana law before investigators can interview a juvenile, parental consent is required. The parents of Thomas Crawford have sought counsel on behalf of their son and have invoked his right to remain silent and declined permission for investigators to conduct an interview.
The investigation will continue and upon conclusion will be forwarded to the Ripley County Prosecutor’s office for review to determine what charges, if any, are warranted. Any future statements shall come from the Ripley County Prosecutor’s office after their office has had time to review the investigation. Complex investigations of this nature often take several weeks of review before any decisions are made.
