Staff Reports

An early morning crash Monday on Interstate 65 in Scott County turned deadly when the driver was struck after exiting his car.

Around 2:50 a.m., 911 calls reported a semitrailer had struck a person in the roadway on I-65 northbound near the 33 mile marker just south of the Austin exit, according to a news release from Sgt. Carey Huls.

Austin police officers and state troopers were the first to arrive on-scene, said Huls, public information officer for the Sellersburg Post.

When officers arrived, they found Stefan Porch, 25, of Matteson, Illinois, deceased after being struck by a northbound semitrailer. Officers then requested a state police crash reconstruction team to assist in the investigation.

After the preliminary investigation, investigators believe Porch was northbound in a silver 2020 Kia Forte with five passengers on board when the vehicle collided with a second vehicle, possibly the rear of a northbound tractor-trailer or box truck, police reported.

At this time, it appears the second vehicle did not stop and continued from the scene. The Forte came to a stop in the roadway, and Porch exited the car.

As Porch left the vehicle, he stepped into the path of a northbound semitrailer. The driver of the semi was unable to avoid striking Porch. The semi was driven by Barbaro Trizan Cuellar of Louisville, Kentucky, who was uninjured in the crash.

The passengers in the car were taken by ambulance to Scott Memorial Health in Scottsburg for any possible injuries from the initial crash. No significant injuries were reported.

This crash is still under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the second vehicle is asked to contact the Sellersburg Post at 812-246-5424.

Officers with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department and firefighters with the Scottsburg and Austin fire departments assisted.