Staff Reports

Two people were hurt in a crash Friday on U.S. 50 at Deer Creek Road east of North Vernon.

Samantha Suthard, 20, of North Vernon was flown to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with serious but what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries after the wreck reported at about 3 p.m., according to a news release from Sgt. Stephen Wheeles with the Indiana State Police.

Wheeles, the Versailles Post’s public information officer, said the initial investigation by Trooper David Owsley indicated Suthard was driving north on Deer Creek Road in a silver 2013 Ford car when she pulled onto U.S. 50 into the path of a westbound Freightliner pulling a box trailer, driven by Enel Brutus, 42, of Jacksonville, Florida.

After hitting the passenger side of Brutus’ vehicle, Suthard’s vehicle came to stop in the middle of the intersection. Brutus’ vehicle continued westbound before leaving the south side of the road and coming to rest, Wheeles said.

Brutus was taken to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital in North Vernon for treatment of minor injuries, police reported.

The investigation is ongoing at this time. Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors, Wheeles said.

Normal traffic flow on U.S. 50 was affected for nearly three hours due to crash investigation and cleanup.

Owsley was assisted by other troopers from the post, officers from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department and North Vernon Police Department and personnel with the North Vernon Fire Department, StatFlight, 31 Wrecker Service and Clark’s Wrecker Service.