WAYNE COUNTY, IND. — UPDATE @ 8 a.m. July 10:
Four juveniles, all under the age of 16 were killed in a fiery crash on I-70 in Wayne County, Indiana Thursday, according to an updated media release from the Indiana State Police.
Anesa Noel Acosta, 15, Quintin Michael McGowan, 13, Brekkin Riley Bruce, 8, and Trentin Beau Bruce, 6, were identified early Friday morning as the passengers in the Chevrolet car that were killed in the crash, state police said.
The driver of the car, identified as Aaron Bruce, 34, has an address from Kansas City, Missouri, state police said. Previously, state police said Bruce suffered “severe injuries” in the crash and was pulled from the wreckage by a bystander.
UPDATE @ 7:40 a.m. (July 10):
A Preble County man who was identified as one of the drivers involved in a deadly, fiery crash on I-70 in Wayne County, Indiana Thursday has been arrested on preliminary charges stemming from the crash that resulted in “multiple fatalities”, according to online jail records.
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Corey Withrow, 31, of Camden was booked into the Wayne County Jail on charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless homicide, jail records show. Previously, state police said drugs were a contributing factor in the crash and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office launched a criminal investigation.
Indiana State Police identified Withrow as the driver of a semitrailer that crashed into a Chevrolet car on I-70 East Thursday afternoon, sending the car into a second semi that was traveling ahead of the car. Both the Chevrolet and the first semitrailer burst into flames after the crash.
State police said “multiple fatalities” were reported in the crash and all the victims killed were in the Chevrolet car.
The number of victims killed, and their identities, were not released by the Indiana State Police, pending notification of family members.
A bystander was able to pull the driver of the Chevrolet out of the burning car. That driver, who was not identified, was transported to an Indianapolis hospital with injuries described as “severe,” state police said.
The driver of the second semitrailer, identified as Thomas Flaherty, 57, of Springfield, was not injured in the crash.
We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.
FIRST REPORT (July 9):
“Multiple fatalities” have been confirmed and two others were injured in a fiery three-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon on I-70 East, Indiana State Police officials said.
The Wayne County Sheriff's Department has launched a criminal investigation because a preliminary investigation indicates that drugs were a contributing factor in the crash.
The number of victims killed, and their identities, were not released by the Indiana State Police.
Emergency units were called just after 5 p.m. Thursday to the crash on I-70 just west of the Cambridge City exit and a construction zone.
Deputies arrived to find a Chevrolet car and semi pulling a loaded box trailer off the left side of I-70 East, fully engulfed in flames.
A 2004 Kenworth tractor pulling the box trailer was headed east in the right lane when a truck came upon traffic that was slowed to merge left for a construction zone.
The Kenworth failed to slow and rear-ended the Chevrolet, which had slowed in the right lane. That impact pushed it into the left rear corner of a semitrailer that was also in the right lane directly in front of the Chevrolet.
The first semi continued pushing the Chevrolet into the left lane and eventually off onto the berm. There, the two vehicles burst into flames.
A passer-by pulled the driver of the Chevrolet out but none of his passengers. The driver of the Chevrolet suffered severe injuries and was taken to a hospital in Indianapolis, investigators said.
The driver of the Kenworth, 33-year-old Corey Withrow of Camden, escaped his burning semi with non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Reid Health Hospital in Richmond.
The driver of the second semi, 57-year-old Thomas Flaherty of Springfield, was not injured.
We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.
Cox Media Group
